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MJD CLINTON STRUCK 


HIM A RLOW WHICH 
GROUND. — Page 44. 


FELLED HIM TO THE 


RIVER AND WILDERNESS SERIES. NO. III. 


Lena-Wingo, the Mohawk, 

A Sequel toThe Wilderness Fugitives 


s/ 

EDWARD S. ELLIS 


AUTHOR OP 


“young pioneer” series, “log cabin” series, “deerfoot” 

SERIES, ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED 



The Price-McGill Company; 

455-473 CEDAR STREET * 



Copyrighted 1893 

BY 

THE PRICE-McGILL CO. 


PRIKTKD AND PLATED BY 

THE PRICE-McGILL COMPANY 

BT. PAUL, MINN. 


CONTENTS 


CHAP. PAGE. 

I — The Tory Camp, 7 

II— Captivity, I 5 

III — A Ray of Hope, 2 I 

IV — On the Threshold, 27 

V — Despair, - 34 

VI — Another Signal, -.40 

VII — The Flight, - 47 

VIII — Hunting for Friends, 55 

IX — Finding a Friend, 33 

X — An Empty Cavern, - ------ 71 

XI — A Stealthy Foe, - 73 

XII— A Curious Combat, 35 

XHI — The Young Scouts, 92 

XIV— A Strange Discovery, 102 

XV — A Disturbance in Sleep - - - - _ 109 

XVI — An Unwelcome Visitor, - - - . . 114 

XVH— All Adrift, 120 

XVHI- All Alone, 125 

XIX — The Pursuers 132 

XX — The Iroquois and Their Captive, ... 139 

XXI — Going Toward Camp, ..... 140 

XXH — Savages, 152 

XXHI— Is He a Friend, ------- 159 

XXIV — More an Enemy than a I'r, end", - - - . 103 

XXV — The Hostile Camp, 175 

XXVI — Feminine Diplomacy, 182 

XXVH — Diamond Cut Diamond, ..... 139 

XXVIII— Vain Scheming, 197 

XXIX — At the Shore, 205 

XXX— The Pursuers 212 

XXXI — Following the Trail, ..---- 219 

XXXH — A Strange Interview, 226 

X X X I II— Through by Daylight, 235 

XXXIV— Conclusion, 242 


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LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


CHAPTER I. 

THE TORY CAMP. 

As the reader of The Wilderness Fugitives vrill 
recall, Ned Clinton, wandering a short distance 
from the cavern in which Jo Minturn and his 
sister Rosa were resting, was unexpectedly cap- 
tured by a band of Iroquois Indians, against 
whom the fugitives had been maneuvering for 
several days. Lena-Wingo, the matchless 
Mohawk, who had proven the most valuable of 
friends and guides, was temporarily absent on a 
scout to learn whether the way was open to 
conduct his friends into Wilkesbarre, their desti- 
nation. Thus it was that, after so many thrill- 
ing experiences and narrow escapes, the youth 
was overtaken by the saddest of misfortunes, 
when on the threshold of safety itself. 


8 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


The captors conducted him to the camp of the 
Tory, Colonel Butler, he who was the author of 
the Wyoming massacre. It was not his regular 
camp or headquarters, as that was on the other 
side of the Susquehanna, but the post which he 
had established for convenience while prosecuting 
the search for Rosa Minturn. In this search the 
colonel did not engage personally, as all whom 
he brought with him were able to do that kind 
of work much better than he; but his interests 
were so concerned and woven into the results 
of this expedition that he could not wait upon 
the other side of the river until the news of suc- 
cess or failure should be brought to him. He 
had therefore crossed with his squad, his force in 
the vicinity of Wilkesbarre consisting of about 
twenty men, nearly all of whom were of the 
Iroquois people, including the best warriors and 
trailers of the tribe. 

The camp being temporary in its nature, was 
of the simplest character. The weather was so 
warm that a fire was anything but a luxur3’', 
and that which had served to prepare the mid- 
day meal was nothing but a mass of smoulder- 
ing embers, around which were grouped some- 
thing like a half score of Indians, including those 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOttAWtt. ft 

who had just come in, the others being off in the 
forest following up the search of the fugitives, 
or watching their movements, so that in case 
they attempted to make a sudden rush into 
Wilkesbarre, the force could be concentrated in 
time to shut them off. This group of Indians 
was within gunshot of the fortifications of the 
town. Some of the others were scattered here 
and there on the other side, on the watch for 
the first movement of the whites and their 
Mohawk guide, intelligence of which was certain 
to be reported on the instant by signal. As 
Lena-Wingo was aware of all these precautions, 
and was maneuvering at the sane moment on 
the opposite side from the camp, it will be seen 
that the situation was becoming critical. 

Ned Clinton noticed the Indians lolling about 
the dead camp fire on this sultry afternoon, but 
he fixed his eyes on Colonel Butler himself. The 
last named person was sitting on a fallen tree 
smoking a pipe, with his eyes upon the ground, 
as if in deep thought, so that he failed to notice 
the party when it arrived. The warriors were 
coming and going so continually that there was 
nothing in the arrival of the party to lead him 
to suspect anything unusual. Captain Bagley 


10 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


was standing a dozen feet off, also smoking a 
pipe, and talking with an Indian when he 
noticed the prisoner. Walking over to where the 
colonel was sitting he whispered something in 
his ear. The Tory raised his head and looked at 
the prisoner, who stood with folded arms in 
front of him. 

“Hello!’’ he exclaimed. “Where did you come 
from ? ” 

“From the other side of the river,” answered 
Ned, who meant to be neither cringing nor 
defiant. 

“What business have you on this side of the 
Susquehanna? ” 

“I came over with a couple of friends to help 
escort Miss Rosa Minturn to Wilkesbarre.” 

“You did, eh? And what did you want to do 
that for? Wasn’t she safe in her own home 
near Forty Fort?” 

“Her parents preferred that she should* stay 
in Wilkesbarre, until the Tories and Indians 
withdrew from the valley.” 

“I don’t see why they should do that when I 
told them that I would take her under my care 
and give her every attention.” 


LENA-WINGO. THE MOHAWK. 


11 


Ned Clinton was tempted to say that the 
Tory had given the very reason for the flight, 
but he did not think it wise to provoke him, as 
it was plain he was in no amiable mood. Ned 
made no answer to the remark, but quietly 
waited until he should choose to address his 
words directly to him. 

“Are you her brother?” asked Butler, looking 
him in the face, as if he expected to hear a false- 
hood in reply. 

“No, I am only a friend of her brother. We 
were in the army together, and I accompanied 
him on this expedition.” 

“What is your name?” 

“Edward Clinton.” 

“Ah! I have heard of you before. I think you 
hold a very tender feeling toward this lady.” 

This was uttered with such a tinge of scorn 
that it stirred the anger of the youth to hear 
his affection for Rosa spoken of in such a slight- 
ing manner. He managed to control the indig- 
nant reply that rose to his lips, however, and 
contented himself with declaring that which 
otherwise he would have held modestly back. 

“Yes, I hold her in the highest regard; indeed, 


12 


tENA-WlN(iO, I'HE mohawk;. 


there is no one in the world whom I love as I 
do her.” 

Butler seemed astonished at the boldness of 
this deelaration. He sat for a minute or two. 
puffing his pipe harder than usual, while he 
looked in the faee of the youth, with an expres- 
sion made more repulsive by the stem of the 
pipe between the lips. 

‘‘And so you started to Wilkesbarre with her! 
When do you expect to get her there?” 

“Well, the task of doing that rests mainly 
with Lena-Wingo, the Mohawk, and he told me 
a short time ago that he had no doubt he 
would place her safely within the town before 
to-morrow morning.” 

This sounded like an impolitic revelation of the 
scheme of the Iroquois, but Ned knew that it 
was precisely what the scout would desire him 
to say under the circumstances. 

“Do you think he will be able to do it, when 
I have brought over twenty warriors of the 
Iroquois to capture them?” 

“The Mohawk is aware of that, and does not 
seem to think it will be sufficient to prevent him 
from doing as he wishes. They tried to keep 
him from crossing the river, but they couldn't, 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


13 


and he came over right in their faces, bringing 
the lady, her brother and myself with him.^’ 

‘•That’s a different thing from entering Wilkes- 
barre, as he will soon find out.^’ 

“He has already been in there to-day, and he 
believes he can go again, and as often as he may 
wish.’’ 

“We don’t care how often he goes alone, but 
let him try it with the lady, and see where he 
will fetch up.” 

This was said in a boasting manner that did 
not deceive Ned, who saw that the Tory had 
strong fears that the attempt of the Mohawk, 
if made, might succeed. 

“Perhaps he will fail,” said the youth, in the 
same quiet voice he had used from the first. 
“But he is so sanguine that we have strong 
faith in his success. To-day, as I have said, he 
entered the town and came out again.” 

“And was discovered by a party of our 
warriors.” 

“And killed two of them,” promptly responded 
the captive, unaware how much he was stirring 
the anger of the Tory. 

“We can very well afford to spare a couple of 
our Indians when we have SQ many.” 


14 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


“But you can’t spare Dick Evans so well, for, 
if the Mohawk had not shot him at the very 
time he did, he would have led the captain and 
his party right to the cavern where we had 
taken refuge.” 

Colonel Butler was angrier than ever, but suc- 
ceeded in keeping his passion in hand- 

“There has been a feud for a long time 
between them, and one was bound to fall by the 
hand of the other sooner or later. I don’t know 
as it makes much difference if the time comes a 
little sooner than the victim expects.” 

The youth noticed the wrath in the face of the 
Tory, and he thought it best to seek to quiet it. 

“It made no difference about the shooting of 
Evans at that time, for i} he had been let alone 
and had led Captain Bagley and the Indians to 
the cavern where we had been left, he would 
have seen nothing of us. He was gone but a 
little while from the place when we awoke, and 
becoming satisfied that something was wrong, 
we stole out and took refuge elsewhere.” 


CHAPTER II. 


CAPTIVITY. 

The information thus communicated by Ned 
Clinton was not only gratifying to Colonel 
Butler, but to Captain Bagley, who was stand- 
ing near, listening to the conversation. When he 
heard this assurance, he ventured to strike in: 

“That confirms what I told Evans all alonsr; 
I said that he had waited too long, and that it 
was useless to expect we should find the party 
as they had been left in the cavern, but he was 
so anxious to press ahead and win the reward 
which the colonel had offered that there was no 
persuading him, and I was forced into the 
thing against my better judgment. ” 

“Still the loss of Dick is a severe one to our 
cause, said the Tory leader, taking the oppo- 
site tack, now that the others seemed to drift 
away from their starting point. “We could 
have spared a dozen other men better; he has 
been of great helj) to us ever since we started 
for the valley. He knew the country so well 

15 


16 


LENA-WINGO. THE MOHAWK. 


that he made the best of guides. That Mohawk 
who shot him wdll have to pay for it. ” 
‘‘Lena-Wiugo knows the penalty he has 
incurred,’^ said Ned, “but he knows, too, that 
he is in no greater danger now than yesterday. 
Before the Iroquois can inflict the penalty on 
him they must get a chance. ’’ 

“Come!” exclaimed the colonel, “I have 
heard all of your impudence that I mean to 
listen to.” 

“I meant no insolence,” said Ned, apologetic- 
ally, “and beg pardon if I have offended.” 

“What do you mean, then, by boasting in 
that style to my face?” 

“I was not boasting. You asked me for 
information and I tried to give it. If there was 
any boasting it must have been when I spoke 
for the Mohawk, for there isn’t anything in my 
history that I can boast about. ” 

“I should say not! You’re a pretty young 
man to play the lover to a lady. You can’t go 
out to take a walk without being picked, up by 
a party of Indians. ” 

“ That was an unfortunate slip on my part, ” 
assented Ned; “but we are all liable to fall 
into mistakes at some time or other of our lives. ” 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


17 


‘When a youth like you goes out to play 
the cavalier for a lady, he ought to have pluck 
enough to fight for her. 

This imputation upon his courage was more 
than Ned could bear. 

“Give me a chance and you will see whether I 
will fight! The first thing the Indians did was 
to steal my gun so as to deprive me of a chance 
to help myself. That is the reason why I came 
in so quietly. A man is a fool to make a fight 
when he has no chance. ” 

“Brave men don’t stop to weigh the 
chances. 

“Suppose, then, that when the Mohawk stole 
toward you the other night, as you were going 
toward him with your sword, you had stood 
your ground. Why, Colonel Butler would never 
have been spared to tell of his exploits in the 
Wyoming valley. ” 

These were daring words for a prisoner to 
utter in the presence of his captor, and Ned 
Clinton ran more risk than he supposed. The 
furious Tory sprang from his seat on the log, 
and advanced upon the youth to punish him 
for the words he had dared to fling in his face. 
There seemed to be no escape from an indignity 


18 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


at the hands of Butler, who drew his sword as 
if he meant to use it. 

“I am unarmed,” said Ned, recoiling a pace 
or two, ” and if you consider it a brave thing 
to strike me when I have no power to strike 
back, I submit. ” 

Strike you? Of course I shall, for these 
Indians have had too much trouble to get you 
to allow you to go unpunished. I shall turn 
you over to them, and when they get through 
there won’t be much left of Rosa Minturn’s cow- 
ardly lover. ” 

At this juncture, one of the Iroquois, thinking 
that the colonel meant to kill the young man, 
stepped forward and protested, reminding him 
that his people had been promised the disposal 
of all prisoners they might capture. The Indian 
was some sort of a chief, whose influence was 
considered of value by the Tory colonel, for the 
latter lowered his sword and returned to his 
seat on the fallen tree, saying as he did so: 

^‘I can afford to leave them to take care of 
you, but I warn you, young man, that I will 
bear no more of your insolence. You are a pris- 
oner, and should have nothing to say. You 
might be better employed in making peace with 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


19 


your Maker, for the time you have to do it in 
is not very long.’’ 

“I try to live so that when the summons 
comes I shall be ready,” was the dignified 
answer of the youth, who thus heard for the 
first time the intimation that he was condemned 
to death. 

The brutal words of the Tory could not but 
produce a shock on one of his young and ardent 
temperament, but he was too high spirited to 
allow his captor to see anything like blanching. 
He was still standing with folded arms, calm 
and prepared for whatever might come. But 
one so young and daring was not prepared to 
give up all hope at the announcement that it 
was intended to put him to death, for he had 
an abiding faith in an overruling Providence, 
and he recalled the numerous dangers through 
which his omnipotent Friend had brought him. 
There remained, too, an unfaltering confidence 
in Lena-Wingo, who had so often appeared at 
the critical moment, and extricated him and his 
companions from peril. 

The warm sultry afternoon was well advanced, 
and Ned began to speculate with all the powers 
of a naturally active mind as to what his cap- 


20 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


tors were likely to do with him. His chief curi- 
osity was not whether they intended his death, 
for he had received assurance on that point, but 
rather as to the precise time, if there were any 
determined upon, when he was to undergo the 
great penalty. If they meant to do it within 
the next hour or so he was beyond human 
help; but if the purpose was to wait till night, 
he felt justified in hoping for aid from his 
Mohawk friend, who would be sure to find out 
his dilemma by that time. 

After returning to his seat upon the fallen 
tree. Colonel Butler showed less disposition to 
talk than before. He was a man subject to 
moods — sometimes lively and entertaining, and 
on other occasions morose and sullen. Captain 
Bagley, who had become engaged in a discus- 
sion with one of the Indians (the same who 
interfered between the colonel and his victim) 
now walked to where Butler was sitting, and 
continued the conversation with him. He broke 
through the reserve of the officer, probablv 
because the subject was one in which he could 
not but feel the deepest interest — being the means 
by which the captive should be disposed of. 


CHAPTER III. 


A RAY OF HOPE. 

Butler and Baglcy talked in low tones, desir- 
ous that the prisoner should hear nothing; but 
the senses of the youthful scout were strained 
to a supernatural fineiyess, and when he saw by 
their glances that he was the subject of the 
interview, he listened intently. 

“One of the Indians wants to torture him 
right away,” said the captain. 

“Well, what’s to hinder?” 

“In the first place, half the redskins are gone, 
and among them is one of their principal men, 
who will be angry if be is not in at the 
death.” 

“They will soon be here — probably by the 
time the preparations are made.” 

“Then again, it is known that the Mohawk 

is prowling around the neighborhood, and there 

is no telling how soon these warriors may be 

signaled to go out and help capture him. If 
21 


22 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


the call should come just as everything is under 
way, it tJvould make a bad mess of it.” 

“That might happen any time, even if they 
wait till night, for I don’t see much chance of 
their getting him.” 

“They are sure of it this time; that Mohawk 
ain’t the only smart Indian in the world; wx 
have some with us who are his equal, and there 
are two that have been out since morning, that 
are his superior.” 

“I suppose they are the two that were shot 
while trying to capture him,” growled Colonel 
Butler. 

“Not at all; the rest are confident that a good 
account will come from them.” 

“I am not, by any means.” 

“We can afford to trust them in a case like 
this. Then, if they catch Lena-Wingo, nothing 
can break up the sport when it opens; and 
besides that, if they get him, a child will be able 
to bring in the girl and the boy that is watch- 
ing over her.” 

The argument of Captain Bagley seemed to 
impress the Tory leader, who was in an ugly 
mood. 


LENA-WlNGO, 'fSE MOllAWE. 


23 


“Well, let them have their own way; they did 
us such good service in the battle the other day, 
that we must concede all we can to them.’’ 

“Shall I tell them, then, that your wish is to 
postpone the entertainment until the rest come 
in and the Mohawk is captured.” 

“Did you say that the majority hold that 
view? ” 

“Nearly all do.” 

“Then tell them that such is my counsel,” 
replied the wily leader, neglecting no occasion 
to conciliate his allies. 

Captain Bagley walked to where quite a dis- 
cussion was still going on, and communicated 
the words of the Tory leader. This was oil 
upon the troubled waters. Those who had been 
the loudest in demanding there should be no 
delay in the infliction of the torture upon the 
captive ceased their arguments, for when the 
majority were reinforced by the views of the 
white leader, they felt that the party opposed 
to them was too formidable to combat. 

Most of the Indians had been grouped together, 
while discussing the question. They now sepa- 
rated, some sitting upon the ground, others wan- 
dering aimlessly off into the woods, to pass the 


24 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


time before their comrades could come in with 
the great Mohawk scout as their captive. It 
may seem strange that so many of the Iroquois 
should remain idle, when there was such impor- 
tant duty on hand. But the company were fol- 
lowing some well arranged plan, which rendered 
this necessary for the time. 

Ned Clinton overheard all that passed between 
Butler and Bagley, and was greatly relieved by 
the conclusion reached. 

“If they defer my death till they bring in the 
Mohawk,” he thought, “I am safe. But I 
can’t hope they mean to do that. They will 
let me live till the rest of the warriors show 
themselves, which may be before dark. At any 
rate I have gained a respite, and I thank Heaven 
for it.” 

The wisdom of the postponement was soon 
manifest. Within ten minutes several signals 
came from the direction of the woods, intended 
for the ears of the warriors. The latter were all 
attention, those who were on the ground spring- 
ing to their feet and listening, while even Colonel 
Butler raised his head and looked inquiringly 
toward the point whence came the call, as if he, 
too, would learn what it meant. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


25 


In the course of a few minutes precisely the 
same signals were repeated, apparently at no 
great distance. This time one of the Indians 
answered, his calls being of the same character, 
though a nicely trained ear would have detected 
a slight difference. For awhile this species of 
telegraph^^ went on, the parties invisible to each 
other, and yet talking like operators at the 
opposite ends of the electric wire. 

Ned Clinton was unable to do more than guess 
what it all meant. But a chill went over him 
at the thought that possibly these signs might 
have conveyed the awful news of the capture 
of the Mohawk scout, upon whom so much 
depended. The thing might be improbable, but 
it could not be called impossible. There was 
more than one Iroquois searching diligently for 
him in the forest, and the youth had heard from 
the lips of Captain Bagley that these warriors 
w'^ere among the best that could be found in the 
Six Nations. 

Wonderful as was the skill and prowess of 
Lena-Wingo, there were others of his own race 
who could be trained to approach him in the 
attainments which made him famous. When 
half a dozen of those Indians were abroad, 


26 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


determined to force the scout to the wall and 
secure his capture, it was idle to believe he was 
not in great danger. Suppose they should cap- 
ture him? The thought caused Ned to shudder, 
for such an event, he was sure, would bring the 
ruin of all in its train as an inevitable necessit3\ 
The wish of the Iroquois was to hold their 
present prisoner until the Mohawk could be 
brought in, when they would make a general 
jollification over the death and torture of both. 

This alternate signaling continued for sev- 
eral minutes when it ceased as suddenly as it 
began. Ned was hopeful it did not mean 
that the Mohawk had been captured, for it 
seemed that, if such was the fact, those who 
had secured him would not stop and signal but 
would come immediately forward with their prize. 
When the calling ended, about half of the party 
in camp moved off into the woods, all taking dif- 
ferent directions. This gave the captive more 
hope. 


CHAPTER IV. 


ON THE THRESHOLD. 

No attempt was made to bind Ned, probably 
because there was no necessity for the precau- 
tion. The prisoner was disarmed, and so sur- 
rounded by the vigilant Iroquois that no extra 
care was required to make his captivity secure. 
Several times Ned asked himself whether a des- 
perate attempt on his part could result in any 
benefit to him. He was fleet-footed, but the 
warriors were among the very best that had 
entered the Wyoming valley, and he could not 
hope to equal them in that respect. Besides, 
every one of them held a rifle, to say nothing 
of the smaller arms, so that if any sudden 
chance should tempt him to make a dash for 
freedom, they could not fail to bring him down. 

After the youth had turned the matter over 
in his mind, he concluded that, in view of what 
he had heard of the decision of the redskins, it 
would be the worst thing in the world to make 
the eflbrt to get away at present, for it must 

27 


28 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


result in his captors taking such precautions 
that all chance to repeat it would be beyond 
his power. He regarded every half hour of 
delay as so much in his favor. When the night 
should descend, there might be some reason to 
consider the dash which had been in his mind 
so often; for in the favoring darkness of the 
forest close at hand, it was not altogether a 
vain hope that he could gain a start and con- 
cealment that would serve him well, and he was 
confident that the scout would not leave him 
to perish at the hands of the Tories and red- 
men. 

The danger, then, as it seemed to him, was 
that the return of the Indians might lead the 
savages to wreak their vengeance upon him who 
was at their disposal. Hitherto he had main- 
tained the standing position, but this became 
so wearisome that he walked to the nearest 
tree and sat down, with his head leaning against 
the trunk. As he took the few steps, every eye, 
including those of Colonel Butler and Captain 
Bagley, were fixed upon him, showing he was 
guarded most effectually. Ned selected his 
place, so that he was as near as he could get 
to the center of the camp, hoping thereby to 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


29 


prevent any suspicion that he meditated any 
attempt to escape, and to defer the binding 
of his limbs, which he held in dread. 

No one made any objection to the movement, 
nor did the white men speak or pay further 
attention. Colonel Butler remained seated 
upon the fallen tree, moodily smoking his pipe 
and giving heed to no one, while Captain Bag- 
ley seemed to be interested in a conversation 
with the Indian who had interfered when 
Butler advanced to inflict the punishment upon 
the insolent prisoner. What the thoughts of the 
Tory commander were it would have been hard 
to guess, but it is certain they were not of a 
pleasant character. 

It may have been that in his mind’s eye he saw 
again the scenes of the preceding few days; for 
no one who participated in the Wyoming mas- 
sacre could fail to hold it in vivid remembrance 
to his dying day. Those events were such as 
were not witnessed often, even when the bitter- 
est war is raging. He had invaded the valley, 
bringing the Iroquois with him as his allies, and 
had he not been accompanied by them, the vic- 
tory of his forces would have been a rout 
instead; but the redskins, flushed with triumph, 


30 LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 

became the fiends which they are by nature, and 
committed deeds of horror that the pen is pow- 
erless to describe. Colonel Butler was well 
aware, too, that his own men had played a 
part as shameful as that of the red savages. 
The act of the Tory named Pencil, who shot 
his own brother, who had taken refuge on 
Monacacy Island, though the only recorded 
instance of such an unnatural crime at that 
time, showed the spirit which actuated those 
who turned against their own country and 
wrought all the ruin and devastation in their 
power. 

It may have been, as we say, that the fearful 
panorama of the few days before swept across 
his vision again, as he sat on the fallen tree, 
smoking his pipe and saying not a word to any 
of those around him; for it is well known that 
the stain of that terrible day remained with 
Colonel Butler through his life. It was one 
which never could be wiped out, and prevented 
his obtaining honors from the sovereign of 
England, upon which he had set his heart, and 
for which he used every effort. 

Now and then Ned Clinton ventured to steal a 
glance at the colonel, but he was cautious, fear- 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK* SI 

ful that if the man happened to look up and 
detect it, he would be angered. The situation 
remained thus for all of two hours, during 
which time nothing was seen of the Indians who 
had gone into the forest in answer to the sum- 
mons of those who were there when Ned arrived 
in camp. It would be difficult to picture the 
anxiety with which the youth watched the 
wearing away of the summer afternoon. How 
he longed for the leaden hours to hurry by, and 
bring the night, in which he had come to believe 
lay his only hope ! How every falling leaf caused 
him to start, under the fear that it was the 
sound of the moccasins of the returning Iroquois. 

Again and again he stole a glance at the sun, 
which seemed like that of the prophet, standing 
still in the heavens while the warfare raged 
below. He marked its downward progress by 
the limbs of the trees overhead. It crept along 
by the spaces between the branches as though 
its burning eye looked down in pity and was 
loth to leave him in his misery. But the long- 
est day must have its end, and the heart of the 
youth gave a throb of expectancy when the orb 
finally sank so low in the sky that it was hidden 
from sight by the body of the forest. 


32 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


An hour or more must still pass before the 
twilight could become perceptible, but by far the 
greater part of the afternoon was gone, and if 
the Indians should continue absent much longer, 
Ned was hopeful that something could be done 
for himself. But as the day advanced, there 
was the greater probability of the warriors com- 
ing in, in which event he felt that hope would be 
gone, for he looked upon the darkness as indispen- 
sable to the success of the scheme he had formed. 
It was beginning to grow dark in the woods, 
and still nothing was seen or heard of the 
absent redmen. The figure of Colonel Butler on 
the log, with his pipe long since gone out, was 
showing the effect of the gathering darkness. 
The painted features of the Iroquois themselves 
were not as clearly defined as a short time 
before. The sun had sunk to rest, and Ned felt 
that a short space more must decide his fate. 
Was there a possibility of escaping the savages in 
whose power he was now placed ? Ah ! how many 
times he had asked himself that question since 
coming into camp ! How fervently he had 
prayed to Heaven to extend its helping hand in 
this hour when he was unable to do aught for 
himself ! 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


33 


Darker and darker grew the air about him, 
until he felt that the time was near when he 
must make the effort that would result in life 
and liberty, or death! He controlled his emo- 
tions as best he could, fearful that some of the 
suspicious Indians would read his thoughts from 
the agitation which he could not wholly con- 
ceal. Finally, when he believed the moment had 
come, his ear caught a soft sound, and looking 
around, he saw the warriors who had gone 
away hours before coming back to the camp as 
stealthily as they departed. 


CHAPTER V. 


DESPAIR. 

When Ned saw the rest of the Iroquois return- 
ing to the camp fire, he leaned back and sighed 
like one who had bidden farewell to all hope. 
When the first shock was over, he looked up 
and observed that the party did not bring 
back Lena-Wingo, the Mohawk, with them, as 
Captain Bagley had promised Colonel Butler 
should be done. 

‘‘That is as I knew it would be,** said the 
captive to himself. “There is no possibility of 
their securing him, and they have found it out. 
Now they will see that there is nothing to be 
gained by putting off my death, and I may as 
well prepare for it.” 

The warriors were so occupied in talking for 
some minutes after their arrival, that they 
seemed to have forgotten their prisoner, but, 
somehow or other, they kept in such positions 
that there was no chance for him to make a 
d^sh for life. The return of the Indians without 

34 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


35 


the Mohawk prisoner was a great disappoint- 
ment to Colonel Butler, as well as to Captain 
Bagley and the rest. The conversation was 
spirited, and to an observer unable to under- 
stand the words uttered, it looked as if there 
were angry feelings and recriminations. Ned 
had not risen from his seat on the ground, but 
as the conversation continued and he recovered, 
in a manner, from his depression, he gazed upon 
the scene, and showed some interest in what 
was going on, though not a word was under- 
stood. 

“I heard that there were all of twenty of the 
warriors,’’ he said, “and there are only twelve 
here, so there must be a half dozen still left in 
the woods, keeping up the hunt for the Mohawk, 
and to prevent his guiding Rosa within the forti- 
fications of Wilkesbarre. But it is too much to 
hope that they will spare me till they all come 
in, or until another attempt is made to take 
Lena-Wingo. Oh! that I had made a start a 
few minutes sooner!” 

The warriors continued their excited talk 
awhile longer, gradually becoming so enraged 
that Ned began to look for scenes of violence. 
But it ceased as suddenly as it had begun, and 


36 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


the disputants fell apart as if all interest had 
died out. Then Ned noticed that while this 
wordy war was under way three of the redmen 
took no part but were employed in preparing 
supper. The fire had been raked apart so as to 
expose the flaming coals, and slices of meat 
were stretched upon these, where they immedi- 
ately curled, crisped, and smoked in a way that 
showed they were ready for the palate almost 
as soon as they touched the embers. Beside 
this, there was bread and cake in abundance, 
the redmen appearing to appreciate the attrac- 
tions of these articles of diet. There could be 
no doubt, therefore, that they had raided upon 
the possessions of some of the settlers, first 
murdering the owners, if they had escaped the 
general massacre of the few days before. 

Ned Clinton was in too despondent a mood to 
feel any desire for food, though the odor of the 
scorching meat was enough to awaken the 
appetite of a d^^speptic himself. 

“It isn’t likely they would give me a mouth- 
ful if I was starving, and it would be fortunate 
if I could starve, and escape the torture they 
mean I shall suffer.” 


lena-wingo, the mohawk. 


37 


up to this time no one seemed to pay atten- 
tion to the youth, who sat by himself as though 
there was no interest in common between him 
and his captors. But now Captain Bagley 
approached and motioned him to rise. Ned 
obeyed. 

“I have news to tell you/’ said the Tory; 
“something which must be of great interest.” 

Ned bowed. 

“You know Lena-Wingo, the Mohawk?” 

“I do.” 

“Well, he was shot a little while ago.” 

“How far from here?” 

“Near by; within a hundred yards.” 

“How long since?” 

“Within the last half hour.” 

“If it was that close, we ought to have heard 
the gun.” 

“Of course.” 

“Then how is it that we did not?” 

Ned Clinton knew the Tory was lying, and 
was not ingenious enough to make his falsehood 
“hold water.” Without wasting for the mis- 
creant to recover his self-possession, Ned fol- 
lowed up his remark with a clincher. 


38 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


‘^When you come to me with’such a falsehood 
as that, Captain Bagley, you ought to make it 
bear inspection. There hasn’t been a rifle fired 
anywhere near us within two hours past, so 
Lena-Wingo is as well and safe as he ever was, 
and it will be a long time before his scalp will 
dangle at the waist of any of the Iroquois. 
Have you any more news?” 

Captain Bagley had no thought that his 
falsehood would be detected so quickly, that the 
prisoner would dare to speak to him in so 
insulting a manner. But Ned saw no hope for 
himself, and felt, therefore, no need of using 
restraint, even in a conversation of the kind. 
Captain Bagley was angry enough to strike the 
youth, though he had a better command of his 
temper than had Colonel Butler, under some- 
what similar circumstances, during the after- 
noon. Instead, therefore, of showing any resent- 
ment, he answered: 

“Yes, I have more news for you.” 

“Is it true or false?” 

“You will soon find out for yourself.” 

“That will be the only way in which I shall 
be able to tell.” 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


39 


“Within Half an hour you are to be burned 
to death at the stake. 

“I am inclined to think you are speaking the 
truth now/’ replied the captive, without the 
slightest tremor in his voice. “For I don’t see 
anything improbable in it.” 

“You can appreciate my kindness in coming to 
give you notice of what is coming, so that you 
may have time to repent of the day when you 
took up arms against King George.” 

This stirred angry feelings in the heart of Ned 
but he felt the occasion was too solemn for him 
to quarrel with the Tory, who was trying to 
rouse his passion. Were it otherwise, he would 
not have brooked the insult to his patriotism, 
but now he made no answer. If he had but half 
an hour in which to live, he ought to be able to 
call in his thoughts from the world and fix 
them upon that which was so near at hand. 

“Leave me alone,” he said to his persecutor; 
“I want the companionship of no one.” 

The brutal Tory refused this prayer, but 
remained tantalizing the poor captive, until, 
finding he could provoke no reply, he was 
forced to turn and leave him alone for the time 
being. 


CHAPTER VI. 


ANOTHER SIGNAL. 

Ned Clinton found, after the departure of 
the Tory, that no one else was disposed to 
intrude on his privacy, although he was in the 
center of one of the noisiest groups of painted 
warriors that he had ever seen. Still, so 
impressed was he with the overpowering solem- 
nity of the occasion, that he would have suc- 
ceeded in shutting out all consciousness of their 
presence, but for the fact that once when he 
looked up, he caught sight of the preparations 
that they were making for his death. These 
were of so awful a character that it was impos- 
sible for him to fix his thoughts upon anything 
else. 

Two Indians were gathering fuel from the 
wood, selecting the sticks with the greatest care, 
as if some unusual excellence was expected from 
each separate fagot which rendered this precau- 
tion necessary. As these were gathered, thev 
were placed in a pile by the side of a tree about 

40 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


41 


a dozen feet away from where the youth was 
standing, the process being conducted with a 
care and deliberation that added impressiveness 
to an occasion which could not have well been 
more solemn. The other Indians were engaged 
in conversation which seemed to refer to the 
work of those warriors who were still absent. 
They were content to leave the preparations for 
the burning of the prisoner at the stake to those 
that had it in charge. They had seen and par- 
ticipated in too many similar scenes to allows 
themselves to show an undue interest in it. 

Colonel Butler and Captain Bagley sat beside 
each other on the fallen tree, talking in low 
tones. 

“I must die alone here,’’ reflected the youth, 
with a sorrow which no pen can depict. “All 
that I could ask, now that I am doomed, is 
that I might kiss father and mother good-by, 
and take the hand of Rosa and look into her 
eyes once more, and telling how much I love 
her, give her, too, the farewell kiss—” 

He stopped suddenly in the mournful strain 
that was finding expression, for at that instant 
there came a signal from the woods. Ned not 
only heard it, but it fell upon the ears of all the 


42 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


Indians. There w^as a general starting up and 
listening. Even the two who were preparing 
the torture fire paused in their work as if they 
heard a call to battle from their chief. 

The signal was a simple one, similar to that 
which had summoned the warriors to the forest 
during the afternoon. The attitude of all was 
that of attention and expectancy, as though the 
first sound was incomplete, and they were wait- 
ing for the complement in the form of an 
additional signal. The whistle, faint as it was, 
as it fell on the ear of Ned Clinton, sent a thrill 
of hope, like an electric shock, through his sys- 
tem. He saw in it, perhaps, a chance — though 
a desperate one — to attempt the scheme that 
was in his mind at the very moment the war- 
riors came trooping back to camp and spoiled 
it all. 

It may have been that the peculiar and super- 
naturally excited condition of the youth’s nerves 
gave him an acuteness of perception vrhich was 
denied the redmen about him at that moment. 
But as the faint call fell upon the ear of the 
youth, he was struck with the conviction that it 
came from a friend — even from Lena-Wingo, the 
Mohawk! If it were the Mohawk, he was 


IvENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


43 


undoubtedly seeking to mislead the Iroquois 
into the belief that some of their own warriors 
were signaling them to enter the woods on 
urgent, business. There was a prospect of his 
succeeding in this, provided he was not sus- 
pected, and not interfered with by those who 
were already in the forest. 

After about the same interval that occurred in 
the former instance, there came a second signal, 
uttered with a quicker force, and intended to 
intimate there was urgency in the case. This 
accomplished its purpose. Fully two-thirds of 
the redmen caught up their rifles and vanished 
in the woods. This left the guard of the pris- 
oner so weak that Colonel Butler suspected Ned 
might try to escape. Both he and Captain 
Bagley rose quickly from the log and walked 
over, so as to place themselves in front of the 
captive. Ned did not notice them until they 
paused within arm’s length of him ; and then, as 
he turned about. Colonel Butler said: 

‘‘All you’ve got to do is to wait.” 

“And you won’t have much of that to do,” 
added Captain Bagley, who, since the snubbing 
received from the prisoner, seemed to entertain a 


44 


LENA-WINGO, 'THE MOHAWK. 


more intense Hatred, if possible, than the Tory 
leader himself. 

At the moment the last words were spoken, 
Ned caught another signal — this time from 
almost the opposite quarter from whence came 
the other two. It was very low, and seemed 
to escape the notice of the two Tories, 
though it must have been heard by some of the 
Indians. When Ned caught it, he knew it came 
from the lips of Lena-Wingo, for he had heard 
the peculiar call before. It was intended to tell 
him that if he hoped to gain his life and free- 
dom, now was the time! 

A moment’s delay would be fatal. Was he 
ready to make the attempt? He was, and the 
instant he was able to interpret the signal, that 
instant it was obeyed. 

Colonel Butler stood a little nearer to him 
than the other Tory, and drawing back his fist, 
Ned Clinton struck him a blow on the side of 
the head, which felled him to the ground like a 
dead man. Captain Bagley showed more readi- 
ness than would have been expected. A suspi- 
cion of the truth seemed to flash upon him, and 
he uttered a shout, to bring the other Indians 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


45 


to the help, as he bounded away in pursuit. 
He had taken but a few steps when he felt it 
was useless to try to overtake the fugitive, and 
raised his ride for the purpose of wounding him. 
Before he could take aim, there was a flash 
from the darkness of the woods close at hand, 
and the Tory fell headlong to the earth, kijled 
as suddenly and by the same hand that had 
checked the renegade, Dick Evans, earlier in the 
day! 

Ned had no time to keep the run of events, 
crowding each other with lightning rapidity; all 
he had to do was to make the most of the 
opportunity thrown in his way. And he did all 
that was possible. As he sprang from the light 
throwm out by the camp fire into the darkness 
of the woods, he caught a shadowy glimpse of 
a tall form crouching on the ground, from which 
came the words, as he leaped by: 

“Run fast, don’t stop — run — run — make no 
noise — run — run ! ” 

He recognized the voice of the Mohawk, but 
had no time to make reply, nor was he able to 
catch the last few words that escaped him, so 
that part of the friend’s warning remained 


46 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


unknown to the rushing fugitive. One of those 
warriors that had been indicated by Captain 
Bagley as the most skillful of all the Iroquois, 
and as the superior of Lena-Wingo himself was 
the first savage to respond to the call of the 
Tory, w^ho had himself answered the summons 
which took him from off the earth. 


CHAPTER VII. 


THE FLIGHT. 

A TALL and powerful Iroquois bounded directly 
toward the fl^dng fugitive with such speed that 
he seemed likely to overtake him in a few of his 
extraordinary leaps. But before he could lay 
hands upon him, something flashed in the fire- 
light; there was a sudden whiz in the air and the 
pursuer went down, his skull split in twain by 
the tomahawk that was sent like a thunderbolt 
from the hand of the ambushed Mohawk. 

Before the other warriors could comprehend 
what had been done, the well-known yell of the 
red scout split the night air and then every 
Iroquois who heard it knew what had taken 
place. They had been decoyed into the woods 
by a false signal, so as to give the prisoner a 
chance to start for the shelter. It was a dread- 
ful game the Mohawk had played upon them, 
and, comprehending it in all its details, they 
made a rush in the direction whence came the 
defiant shout, resolved to secure the terrible 

47 


48 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


scout, if the thing was possible. It was a part 
of Lena-Wingo’s strategy to draw this general 
pursuit after himself, so as to give Ned Clinton 
the better chance to elude his enemies, who 
were dangerously near him. If the Iroquois 
or any one else could overtake him in a chase of 
this kind, he was willing to die at their hands 
to hide the disgrace of his failure. 

Accordingly, the pursuers were no more than 
fairly in the woods, when the shout of the fugi- 
tive was heard again, so immediately in their 
front, that they pressed forward with all their 
energy instead of separating, as was their cus- 
tom, under similar circumstances. Within the 
next few seconds the shout of the defiant 
Mohawk was heard again, seemingly closer than 
before. The hearts of the infuriated pursuers 
were stirred by the belief that they were about 
to secure the one who was more hated than 
all the enemies of their nation. Through the 
gloomy forest they plunged with a speed that 
threatened to dash out their brains against the 
trees and limbs in their path. But the defiant 
whoop of the Mohawk was heard no more. He 
had succeeded in drawing them off from the pur- 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


49 


suit of the prisoner, and was now attending to 
his own safety. 

This was a small matter to one of his skill 
and experience. He had only to make a turn in 
the line of his flight, and steal a short distance 
to one side of his path which his enemies were 
following and the thing was done! 

Fortunately for Ned Clinton, he was quick 
enough to understand and avail himself of the 
tactics of the Mohawk. When he heard the well 
known whoop in one direction, he turned in 
another, and by that means he was free of all 
pursuers before he had reached a point two 
hundred yards from the camp. Once fairly within 
the shelter of the woods, with enough start to 
be free of immediate danger, it was a simple 
matter for him to keep clear of the warriors 
altogether. Still he was so fired with the wish 
to get as far from the camp as possible, that, 
after he had paused and assured himself there 
were none of them in his vicinity, he kept on 
running. 

He was out of breath and nearly exhausted 
from the tremendous exertions he made at the 
commencement of his flight, and he kept up a 


•4 


50 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


rapid walk, in lien of the running he had been 
doing. And pressing forward in this way with- 
out any pause for further rest, his wind speedily 
came back, and he broke into a run again. This 
effort was of short duration, for he had gone 
only a brief distance when, to his surprise, he 
found himself on the border of the Susquehanna, 
and all progress in that direction was brought 
to an end. 

Well, here I am!’^ he exclaimed, as he came to 
a halt, and looking up to the sky, returned 
devout thanks to the One beyond those realms 
who had delivered him out of the very jaws of 
death, through the instrumentality of the match- 
less Mohawk scout. The fugitive youth stood 
for several minutes looking out upon the face of 
the calmly flowing river, as dimly shown by the 
faint light in the sky. There was something in 
the even flow of the noble stream which stirred 
a responsive chord in his heart, now that he had 
escaped the excitement which clung to him during 
the hours succeeding the decision of the Iroquois 
that he was to die the most frightful of deaths 
at the hands of these invaders of the Wyoming 
valley. There was a thrill of the heart, as he 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


61 


recalled tlie scene of his rescue, and the desper- 
ate flight through the dark woods. But the 
reflection that all this was past, and that he 
stood on the shore of the Susquehanna, free 
once more, with the brilliant dream of his future 
gleaming as vividly as ever, brought a glow and 
sense of peace such as he had not known for a 
long time. Once again had Heaven interposed 
and delivered him, when it seemed there was no 
hope. And over and over again he sent up his 
thanks to God, who had kept him, as it were, 
in the hollow of His hand. 

‘‘Surely He will not desert us,’^ he added, as 
he recalled the incidents of the last few days, 
“when He has done so much for us already. 
Rosa is safe in the cavern, waiting for us to 
come to her, and Jo is as free from danger as 
when he was at home, before the invasion of 
the valley. At most, he is only wondering at 
my absence, without suspecting the peril in 
which I have been placed, and the Mohawk — 
where is he?” 

When he had recovered the full command of 
his thoughts, he began to consider the right 
course to take. Was it the wiser thing to make 


52 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


his way back to the cavern, and there await 
the return of Lena-Wingo, or should he try to 
effect a junction with him in the forest? The 
former proceeding was the one to be followed, 
for, when the woods were so full of hostile 
Indians, searching for him and the Mohawk, 
the greatest risk was involved in an attempt of 
the kind mentioned. 

can do nothing but go back to where Rosa 
is waiting for the coming of her friends,” he 
concluded. “I have no weapon if I should 
happen to meet any of the Iroquois. It might 
be but a single one, and yet he would be able 
to do as he pleased with me.” 

No person could understand better than did he 
the dangers of falling into the power of the 
Indians and Tories, after what had just taken 
place. When he started on his return he was 
resolved that he would use every precaution, 
even if it should take him several hours to 
reach the shelter. But he hoped to rejoin his 
friends in less time than that. He had a toler- 
ably clear idea of the ins and outs of the forest 
on this side of the river, for he had spent many 
a day in hunting in it before he was forced to 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


53 


use it as a refuge from his enemies. Besides 
this, his arrival at the river was a help to 
enable him to keep the points of the compass in 
mind, and he set out, therefore, with great con- 
fidence of success. One of the first perils against 
which he sought to guard himself was that 
which seems always to threaten the wanderer 
in the woods — the tendency to follow a circular 
instead of a straight course. 

“It would be a fine performance if I should 
drift back again to the camp from which I 
fled!’’ 

Pausing long enough to make pretty clear in 
his mind the direction in which the encampment 
lay, he made a detour to the right, satisfied to 
go a long way off the course in order to escape 
the danger alluded to. Within the woods and 
among the dense undergrowth, where the gloom 
was almost impenetrable, he was not long in 
discovering that he had undertaken a task of 
no small difficulty. The fear that some of the 
savages might be lurking pear at hand, listen- 
ing for some movement on his part that would 
betray his whereabouts, caused him to exercise 
more caution than was really necessary. The 


54 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


rustle of a leaf, or the flitting of a bird, dis- 
turbed by the slight wind which now and then 
stirred the tree-tops, was instantly attributed 
by the youth to the stealthy tread of the moc- 
casin, and he paused until assured of his mis- 
take. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


HUNTING FOR FRIENDS. 

When Ned had wandered through the forest 
for a half hour or more, he began to have 
serious doubts as to whether he was following 
the right course. Not since leaving the shore of 
the Susquehanna had he been able to discover 
any landmarks to guide him, and no matter 
what pains he might take there was no escaping 
the danger which would have attended the 
movements of the most skillful hunter. For the 
dozenth time he came to a standstill, and tried 
to reason as to what he was doing, and as to 
the direction he ought to follow. On such 
occasions he could use no faculty except that of 
hearing, and that as yet was of no service 
whatever. The tomb itself could not have been 
more silent than was the wood, except when the 
gentle night wind rustled the branches over- 
head. 

It was hard to comprehend that this valley 

had been the scene of terrible deeds within a few 
66 


56 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


days; that the warvvhoops of the charging red- 
skins, and the shout of the over-confident soldier, 
had been so closely followed by the wail of the 
dying victim, or the prayer of the poor fugitive 
pleading for mercy. And still harder was it to 
recall the experience of his own within the last 
few hours. 

The scene by the camp fire ; the insults from the 
Tories; the doom as it was told him; the signals 
from the darkness of the woods; the shot that 
stretched the Tory captain in death; the yells of 
the Iroquois when they detected the trick played 
them; the flash of the Mohawk’s deadly toma- 
hawk; his own dash for freedom; the run when 
he felt there was more than one vengeful Indian 
at his heels ; the hurried warning of Lena-Wingo 
as the fugitive sped by him — all these seemed 
more like a vision of sleep than like sober 
reality, though he knew too well they were 
nothing else. But there was naught to be gained 
by staying where he was, and after a brief rest 
he started forward again. 

^‘I think I must be in the neighborhood of the 
cavern,” he concluded, picking his way with 
undiminished caution. ‘‘I have been traveling 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


57 


over rising ground, such as there is between the 
river and the retreat, and I have gone far 
enough to reach the place. If I could run against 
some landmark that would give me a clue, it 
would be an easy matter — hello!” 

Just tben he caught the faint glimmer of a 
light, a short distance ahead, and a little to 
the left of the route he was following. He 
stopped to consider what it meant, for a single 
misstep at this stage was likely to undo all the 
good work of Lena-Wingo. 

‘‘I should like to know what that means. I 
don^t know who could have started the fire, for 
the only one that I know of on this side the 
river is that of Colonel Butler, which is a long 
way off from here.” 

Meditation and speculation could not settle 
the question, and, after debating until he was 
weary, he concluded to approach a little closer, 
as it was easy to do so without being discovered. 
He was inclined to believe the fire had been 
kindled by his friend Jo, near the cavern, perhaps 
with the purpose of serving to guide him in his 
return thereto, though it seemed a piece of reck- 
lessness of which the young scout would not be 


58 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


guilty, after the lessons he had learned in com- 
mon with the rest of them. 

When Ned had passed over something like half 
the intervening distance he paused again, with 
grave misgivings as to the wisdom of his course. 
The fire was seen more clearly, but there was 
nothing visible of those who had started it. It 
began to look as if it was a deserted camp 
fire, though he was more inclined than ever to 
suspect it was a sort of beacon light kindled by 
Jo, who knew better than to stay near enough 
to be seen by any of the Indians wandering in 
the woods. But determined to press the matter 
until he solved it, he continued advancing until, 
at last, when he came out from behind a tree, 
which had been in his way up to this time, he 
comprehended the whole thing. Could he believe 
the evidence of his own eyes? 

It was the Tory and Indian camp from which 
he had fled almost an hour before ! 

The young scout was thunderstruck when he 
discovered the startling fact. For though he had 
bethought him of this danger at the moment of 
leaving the vicinity of the river, yet, as is the 
case with those placed in a similar situation, he 
was sure it was impossible for him to commit 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


59 


such a blunder. But here were signs that could 
not be read amiss. There was the very fallen 
tree upon which he had seen Colonel Butler sit 
and smoke his pipe in moody silence. There was 
the other tree where he himself had sat with his 
head leaning against the trunk. And more still, 
there was the third .tree which, with the fagots 
piled alongside, told its own story, with awful 
eloquence, of the fate which he had escaped. 

But where were those who made these prep- 
arations for his death, when the rescue came 
in the shape of the avenging Mohawk? Nearly 
all were in the forest, searching for the one who 
had fled and the one whose cunning had released 
him. Ned saw two of the warriors sitting close 
to the flames, seemingly occupied in preparing 
the supper which had been so rudely interrupted 
by the proceedings described. This was so long 
before that they must have participated in the 
general hunt and pursuit, and had probably 
returned but a little while previous. 

For a few minutes these two were all that the 
fugitive saw; but when his eyes beeame accus- 
tomed to the surroundings, he detected a third 
warrior seated half in darkness, apparently 


60 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK.* 


looking complacently upon the labors of his com- 
rades, while he smoked his pipe. Ned shifted his 
position slightly to learn whether the body of 
the Tory, Bagley, and the warrior lay where 
they had fallen. But a survey convinced him 
that they had been removed, though whether 
taken to any distance, or whether simply drawn 
back into the gloom, was more than he could 
tell, and about which he was not anxious to 
satisfy himself. 

The whereabouts of Colonel Butler was the 
only question which interested him, after his 
first survey of the camp. 

He was soon gratified in this respect, however, 
for while he was searching as best he could, 
and about ready to make up his mind that he, 
too, was on the hunt for the Mohawk, the col- 
onel himself walked out of the darkness, and 
took his seat on the same fallen tree which he 
had occupied so long during that afternoon ! * 
He had the identical pipe between his lips, and 
he smoked it with a vigor which proved that 
his mind was in any but a restful state. 

It may have been fancy, but Ned was almost 
certain, while looking in the countenance of the 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


61 


great Tory, as it was revealed by the fire-light, 
that he could distinguish the marks of the 
heavy blow that had felled him to the ground. 
Perhaps the anxiety of the youth to see such 
a sight was one reason why he believed he 
detected it. 

“I wonder how long he will be satisfied to 
keep this thing going? thought Ned, while 
surveying the partially deserted camp. “He has 
met with nothing but defeat and disaster thus 
far, and has lost several of his most valuable 
allies. It looks to me that success is further off 
than ever.’^ 

Ned was held to the spot for several minutes 
by his interest in the notorious character who 
had persecuted him. But he soon aroused him- 
self, stirred by the recollection of the value of 
the time which he was allowing to pass by. 
Another reminder of the folly of staying where 
he was came in the shape of the sound of a 
footstep behind him. This caused a flutter of 
his old fear, for he knew it was caused by one 
of the Iroquois, probably returning to camp. 
The youth crouched down and held his breath, 
when he detected the soft patter of the moccasins 


62 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


upon the leaves, and knew there was more than 
one, and they were passing very near him. 
Waiting a few minutes he saw five warriors 
come to view near the camp fire, every one of 
whom had walked so close to him that he 
could have touched them with his outstretched 
arm. 




CHAPTER IX. 


FINDING A FRIEND. 

Ned Clinton paused only long enough to 
make sure of the number of Iroquois warriors 
that had stalked by so near him, and to satisfy 
himself there were no more within touching 
distance, when he cautiously withdrew, and 
resumed his attempt to reach the cavern, where 
he believed that not only Rosa and her brother, 
but the Mohawk himself, were awaiting his 
return. Locating himself with still greater care 
than before, he had proceeded but a short dis- 
tance when he came upon a land mark, which 
gave him more confidence than had been his 
since starting. There was no doubt now that 
he was following the right course, and, if noth- 
ing unforeseen occurred, he was sure to reach 
his destination in a short time. 

At that hour the faint moon was in the sky, 
and he was able to make use of it as a means 
of avoiding the tendency to travel in the circui- 
tous direction which had come so near proving 


64 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


fatal a short time before. A quarter of an hour 
later, he struck the very tree where he had fallen 
into the hands of the Iroquois. 

great deal has happened since then,’’ he 
mused, “and I feel that a great deal more will 
take place in the next few hours. Lena-Wingo 
is confident that he will be able to conduct 
Rosa to Wilkesbarre before morning, and if he 
does, he must do some of the hardest work of 
his life.” 

He waited some time longer, and finally gave 
utterance to a soft whistle, such as he and Jo 
were accustomed to use when in the woods 
together. 

“He may be somewhere in the neighborhood, 
and if he is, that will let him know where to 
look for me.” 

No response came to this call, and he had 
not much hope that there would be, but he 
repeated it. 

“That was a little louder than before — hello ! ” 
To his surprise and delight, a sound reached 
his ears like the faint echo of his own signal. 

“That is Jo, as sure as I’m alive!” 

He repeated the summons, still louder than 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


65 


the second time. As before, the answer was 
returned, but it was barely audible. 

‘‘Jo is giving me a lesson in caution,” con- 
cluded the young scout. “He knows that I 
need it.” 

The reply to his summons was so faint that 
he found it hard to tell the distance or the 
direction whence it came. He was convinced, 
however, that Jo knew where to look for him, 
and he had only to wait to be speedily joined 
by him. Ned remained quiet, after making the 
third summons, for he thought that if his friend 
wished to exercise so much care, he would do 
the same, and appeal to his lips only when 
necessary. For two or three minutes nothing 
more was heard. 

During this period the fugitive did nothing 
but listen and reflect that, somehow or other, 
this tree seemed destined to play an important 
part in his history. It was there that he met 
the renegade, Dick Evans, who came so near 
effecting the capture of the three companions of 
Lena-Wingo. It was there, too, that Clinton, 
when on the point of making another observa- 
tion, was taken prisoner, and now he was 


66 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


calmly awaiting the approach of his friend, Jo 
Minturn. 

Ned had reached this point in his reflections, 
with his cars strained to catch the first indica- 
tion of the coming of his comrade, when the 
whistle fell upon his ear again, this time from a 
spot very near at hand, and almost immediately 
in front of where he stood. The young scout 
was in the act of replying when he asked him- 
self the startling question whether it was not 
likely that this was some one else than Jo 
Minturn. He recalled the exceeding cunning of 
the Iroquois, and if Lena-Wingo was able to 
deceive them by false signals, was it not reason- 
able to suppose that they might do the same 
with him, who was much less accustomed to 
the ways of the denizens of the wood? 

The apprehension of something of the kind 
struck him so powerfully, that he resolved not 
to reply to the last summons, but to wait and 
listen further. While doing so, he would hold 
himself in readiness to leap back into the cover 
of the wood, for it must not be forgotten that 
he was without any weapon with which to 
defend himself against the most insignificant foe. 
He was obliged to wait but a short time, when 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


67 


the whistle was heard. There could be no doubt 
the person was elose at hand. 

Ned was unable to detect the slightest differ- 
ence between the signal as made by Jo Mint urn 
and that which now fell upon his ear. His hope 
was, therefore, strong that it was really his 
friend who was approaching. But he did not 
relax his determination to wait till all doubt 
was removed before he revealed himself. The 
kivSt call was so distinct, that he knew precisely 
the point upon which to fix his gaze to deter- 
mine whether it was a friend or an enemy who 
promised to show himself very soon. 

He was gazing in this expectant, excited way, 
when in the gloom he detected a movement of 
the bushes in front, and almost at the same 
instant, the figure of a man stepped cautiously 
to view. The first glance told Ned that it was 
not Jo, but an Indian warrior. He held his 
breath, not daring to stir, through fear of 
betraying his hiding-place. But, the savage, 
instead of pausing, as if uncertain of the direc- 
tion to take, continued stealing forward like a 
shadow of the night. What was worse, he was 
moving directly toward the spot where the 
affrighted Ned Clinton was crouching. When 


68 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


only a few paces off, he stopped and made the 
whistle which had first been called out by the 
young fugitive himself. 

The latter was still unable to discover any 
difference between it and that made by Joe 
many a time before. The fact of the Indian 
making it once more caused Ned to believe he 
was not certain whether he was on the right 
track, but the poor youth was fairly transfixed 
when the figure resumed its advance straight 
upon him. Ned was, as if held in the embrace 
of a nightmare, deprived of the capacity to 
move body or limb. Had he possessed a 
weapon with which to defend himself, the case 
would have been far different. But as it was, 
he was like the poor wretch who saw the walls 
of his prison slowly closing in upon him, with- 
out the power to stay the awful crush, and 
without the means of escaping therefrom. 

“Young scout big fool — tell him make no 
noise, then he make noise — when he should make 
noise, then he make no noise.” 

And so it was Lena-Wingo! Ned shook off 
the overwhelming terror that had pressed him 
down, and desirous that his old friend should 
not know what a fright he had gone through, 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


69 


stepped out as lightly as he knew how, and 
spoke in a matter-of-fact voice as he took the 
hand of the red scout : 

wasn’t quite clear that it was you, and I 
wanted to wait till I could find out before I 
showed where I was.” 

“Next time think of that before whistle.” 

But both were delighted to meet, and they 
talked very rapidly for several minutes, Lena- 
Wingo assuring his young friend that he need 
hold no fears of any of their enemies being 
within earshot. They hurriedly exchanged 
experiences, and then the Mohawk produced 
from the bushes behind him a rifle, which Ned 
found, upon the best examination he could 
make in the darkness, was not his own. But 
as that was gone beyond recovery, he was glad 
enough to secure the substitute. 

Ned was anxious to learn what the Mohawk 
intended to do, as the night was well advanced, 
and time was precious. The reply of the scout 
was of the most satisfactory character. He had 
been interfered with while making his reconnois- 
sance by the necessity of turning aside to help 
Ned out of his captivity, but he succeeded in 


70 


LENA-WlNGO, 1'HE MOHAWtt. 


accomplishing all that he set out to do. He had 
found out the line by which Wilkesbarre could 
be entered, and he was now ready to make the 
attempt. All they had to do, then, was to go 
in seareh of Rosa and her brother, and that 
they proeeeded to do without any delay. 


CHAPTER X. 


AN EMPTY CAVERN. 

The Mohawk, agreed with Ned Clinton that 
they were likely to find Rosa and her brother 
near the cavern, if not inside of it, and they 
turned their footsteps in that direction. The 
Mohawk was in high glee, as was natural after 
having performed such a series of exploits, and 
he repeated his expressions of his ability to take 
the whole party into Wijkesbarre. The young 
scout could not but catch the contagion of 
his spirits, and concluded that he must have hit 
upon some kind of “underground railroad,^’ by 
which the thing was to be done without any 
power on the part of the Iroquois to prevent. 

They made their wa}^ as if there was no such 
thing as a hostile Indian within a hundred 
miles of them, not even pausing to listen for 
suspicious sounds, a practice to which the 
Mohawk had hitherto showed an inclination, 
even when the danger seemed less than on the 
present occasion. The red scout evidently knew 

71 


72 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


the territory through which he was journeying 
as well as the people themselves. While they 
progressed, the faint moon ascended higher in the 
heavens, and since the sky was without a cloud, 
the light was quite an assistance. As they were 
constantly reaching a higher plane, they were 
tempted to look back over and down upon the 
broad stretch of forest through which they had 
just come. On one of these occasions they saw 
the glimmer of a camp fire at no great distance. 
The Mohawk immediately halted and viewed it 
with such interest that Ned was struck with 
curiosity. 

“That must be Colonel Butler’s camp,” said 
the young scout. 

“No — his be there,” replied the Indian, point- 
ing in a direction almost at right angles to 
where his companion supposed it was. 

“Who is there, then? ” 

“Lena-Wingo try find out.” 

This was equivalent to declaring that he did 
not know who could have kindled a camp fire 
in so public a manner as that. For a few minutes 
Ned dreaded that the Indian was on the point 
of going off to reconnoitre the strange camp, 
and thus delay their own arrival at the cavern. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


73 


which was now close at hand. But if the red 
scout had held such a purpose, he changed his 
mind, and pushed on in the direction of the 
retreat. 

“Did you satisfy yourself as to who they are?” 
asked Ned. 

“Iroquois,” was the answer of the Mohawk. 

This was disturbing news, for it was hardly 
expected up to this time that the redmen had fol- 
lowed the fugitives, or had established a camp so 
close to the cavern. Ned noticed from the actions 
of his guide that he was somewhat disturbed 
over the discovery, for he advanced with more 
caution, and often paused to look back and listen, 
as if apprehensive of being followed by some of his 
old enemies. But they were so near the cavern 
that within the next ten minutes they reached 
the spot, and halted at the memorable place 
where the young man had bidden farewell for 
the time to the idol of his heart. 

All was as still as the grave, when the two 
paused outside the entrance and listened. The 
pile of stones overgrown with shrubbery 
and vegetation was barely seen in the dim light, 
though enough was visible for Ned to recognize the 
retreat. The youth was in a distressful frame 


74 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


of mind, for, somehow or other, ever since the 
sight of the camp fire below, an impression had 
been growing upon him that something had gone 
wrong with Rosa and her brother during the 
absence of himself and the Mohawk. This fear 
increased as they drew near the hiding-place, 
until, when they halted in front of the door, 
he could hardly conceal his agitation. 

“I suppose she is asleep, because it is quite 
late,^’ remarked Ned, endeavoring to speak in a 
matter-of-fact tone. 

Lena-Wingo made no answer but was peer- 
ing at the stone as well as he could in the 
gloom, for the fact that it was drawn aside, as 
if left thus by some one who had gone within, 
was not a very satisfactory proof of caution 
on the part of that individual, but he made no 
comment upon it. It may have been he was 
becoming so accustomed to such impudence, 
that he felt no surprise when he encountered 
signs of its repetition. 

The Mohawk did not enter the cavern, but 
contented himself with kneeling down and apply- 
ing his ear to the opening so cautiously that no 
one inside could be aware of what he was doing. 
Ned supposed this was an attempt to detect the 


LKNA-WlN(iO, THE MOHAWK. 


75 


presence or absence of Rosa through his power 
of hearing. If such were the fact, it was not 
conclusive, for when it had continued several 
minutes the Mohawk abruptly straightened up 
and looked about at Ned in so incomprehensi- 
ble a way that the latter asked: 

“Is she there?” 

“Don^t know — Lena-Wingo see.” 

He disappeared through the narrow opening, 
leaving the youth on the outside awaiting his 
return with an anxiety difficult to describe. 

“It is wonderful the way this thing goes 
along,” mused the youth, as the old fear that 
they were trying to do something bej^ond their 
power came over him. “It seems for awhile 
that everything progresses so well that we are 
sure to go straight into Wilkesbarre with fly- 
ing colors, when presto! there turns up, just 
when no one is expecting it, something which 
threatens to knock everything topsy-turvy, and 
not only keep us from reaching the place weVe 
set out for, but is likely to trip every one of us — 
excepting the Mohawk, of course. He has done 
more work than all of us together, and yet I 
don’t believe there was ever a time when he 
was in one quarter of the danger that the rest 


76 


LENA-WIN^O. THE MOHAWIC. 


have been. It all goes to prove that there is a 
right and wrong way of doing everything, and 
he has learned his trade so well that he is mas- 
ter of it.’’ 

Every once in a while he paused in his medita- 
tion to listen for something going on within. 
The fears of the ^"outh were as great as ever, 
and it was hard to fight against the conviction 
that there was ground to fear the descent of 
some evil upon Rosa Minturn. 

‘‘If she is in there she is awake or asleep. If 
awake she would have found us out before this, 
and if asleep, the ear of Lena-Wingo would 
have heard her breathing, though it is soft as 
that of an infant.” 

And under the belief that he was able to do 
the same, and desirous of ending his painful 
suspense, Ned crept as close to the opening as 
he could, and applied his ear for some proof of 
what was passing within. It was not a very 
encouraging result, inasmuch as he heard noth- 
ing at all, though it was certain that one per- 
son was there, with some grounds to hope there 
were two. 

“If I can’t hear the warrior, I can’t hear the 
lady,” was the conclusion of Ned, when he had 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


77 


kept up the experiment long enough to decide 
it. “The only thing that I can do is to wait 
till Lena-Wingo comes out and tells his story, 
but it takes him a long while to learn whether 
any one is in the cavern besides himself.” 

Still waiting and listening, Ned was able to 
catch a sound now and then, as if made by 
some one moving about near the entrance. 

This he supposed came from the Mohawk, 
who was following his own system of investi- 
gating the department of the interior. 

A few seconds after, the scout joined him. 

“Is she there? ” was the husky question of 
Ned Clinton. 

“No,” replied Lena-Wingo, in an impressive 
voice ; * ‘ the gal is gone. ’ ’ 


CHAPTER XL 


A STEALTHY FOE. 

Although Ned Clinton was expecting such 
information, the shock almost crushed him to 
the ground. After the terrible perils and diffi- 
culties through which he had fought, and the 
thorough reconnoissance of the Mohawk, result- 
ing in the opening of a way into Wilkesbarre, 
they seemed doomed to fail in the very place 
where they deemed themselves the strongest. 
Rosa was gone, and who should say where she 
was, as well as where her brother had placed 
himself at the moment when both were needed? 

Ned, as might be supposed, proceeded to ques- 
tion the Mohawk as closely as he knew how as 
to what he had learned by his exploration of 
the cavern. It amounted to nothing. Lena- 
Wingo had little hope of finding her there, at 
the time he went in, but there was the possi- 
bility that she had discovered the approach of 
some one, and was hiding in some corner of the 
apartment, suppressing her breath so that the 

78 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


79 


ear could detect no pulsation of tlie still atmos- 
phere. The way to determine the matter was 
for Lena-Wingo to steal around with the silence 
of a shadow into every portion of the cavern, 
which was what he had done, making his exami- 
nation so complete that there was no room for 
mistake in the conclusion. Rosa Minturn was 
not there! 

Then Ned attempted to draw from the Mohawk 
his theory as to what had become of her, but 
the scout was disposed to say nothing until 
he completed other investigations. That Jo 
Minturn was gone seemed to cause very little, 
if any, apprehension on the part of either of 
the searchers. The impression with Ned was 
that brother and sister were not together. He 
believed the brother had stayed on the outside of 
the cavern, as he proposed doing when the friends 
separated, that he might the better keep watch 
for the coming of their enemies. He had probably 
remained in this position till dark, when he 
came back to the retreat, and then— 

It was plain to the youth that the Mohawk 
was uneasy. The presence of the camp fire at 
so short a distance, in connection with the dis- 
appearance of the girl, was ground enough for 


80 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


misgiYing of the most distressing nature. The 
natural theory that suggested itself to Ned was 
that Jo had detected signs which led him to 
doubt the safety of the cavern as a place of 
retreat, and he had withdrawn his sister there- 
from. Whether he succeeded in doing so was a 
question which must remain in doubt until the 
Mohawk should clear it up for him. If this 
theory was the true one, there was reason to 
hope that Jo and Rosa were hiding somewhere 
at no great distance, and if that were the fact, 
it would not require Lena-Wingo a long time to 
effect a junction with them. 

It is useless to attempt to name a tenth of 
the fancies that thronged through the brain of 
the young man in explanation of the absence of 
his two friends. Several times he was confident 
he had struck the true explanation, but just on 
the point of telling Lena-Wingo how it all was 
some fatal defect would suggest itself and keep 
his mouth closed. The action of the Mohawk 
was singular, even for him, who guided his con- 
duct by no set rule. After coming from the 
cavern, and answering the question of the youth 
he walked aside a few paces, so that his figure 
was hardly discernible in the gloom. There he 


LENA-WINGO. THE MOHAWK. 


81 


leaned upon his rifle in the attitude of one 
ill deep thought, which was indeed the 
case. Thus it was that Ned was left free to 
indulge in all those speculations to which we 
have referred, with the result that he could 
form no reasonable theory to account for the 
disappearance of his friends. 

But Lena-Wingo was not long in making up 
his mind upon a question like that which now 
agitated him. If he was unable to settle the 
query himself, he hit on some way of finding a 
clue. He had held the attitude described but a 
few minutes, when he straightened up with 
something like a sigh, and walked silently to 
where the youth was awaiting him. 

“Me go to camp fire — wait here — donT make 
noise. 

Ned promised obedience, and the savage 
vanished immediately. He could not free him- 
self of the belief, judging from the action of 
Lena-Wingo, that the latter suspected that Rosa 
Minturn had fallen by some mishap into the 
power of the Iroquois — a calamity which 
made the youth shudder more than the prospect 
of death which impended over him a short time 

before t 
6 


82 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


*‘What does he mean by going out to look 
at his kinsmen gathered about that camp fire, 
unless it is that he suspects the poor girl may 
be there? He would not do that unless he held 
a strong suspicion.” 

It will be seen that the situation had become 
such that Ned was in as painful and 'apprehen- 
sive a state of mind as is conceivable. No posi- 
tion is more trying than that of being compelled 
to wait indefinitely for the coming of some one 
upon whom depends the success of a most 
important movement. As the mintites dragged 
slowly by, without anything being seen or 
heard of the Mohawk, the young man found it 
hard to suppress his impatience. 

“It must be near midnight,” he muttered, 
after finding he was mistaken again in fancying 
he heard the soft step of the warrior, “and if 
he is not here pretty soon, the escape goes over 
for another twenty-four hours, and, mixed up 
as we are with the Iroquois all around, and 
hunting high and low, that means that we won^t 
get there at all.” 

Ned paused and inclined his ear again. 

“I wonder if that can be Lena-Wingo that I 
have heard a half dozen times? There is some 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


83 


one or something out there, and it may be he, 
though I shouldn't think he would try any of 
his jokes, now that we have no time to indulge 
in them.’^ 

The possibility of a foe lurking close at hand 
made Ned Clinton exceedingly cautious in his 
movements. But now that he held a loaded 
gun in his hands he was in no such apprehen- 
sive state as when the Mohawk stole down 
upon him. A few minutes of waiting told him 
there was some one near, though the evidences 
of his proximity were so guarded, as yet, that 
he could not determine the precise point to look 
for his appearance. 

“If there is but one of them, and he is hunt- 
ing for me, I don’t care if he finds me,” con- 
cluded Ned, listening intently for the first sign 
that would tell him exactly where to expect the 
appearance of the enemy. 

A remote suspicion came to him that it might 
be Jo Minturn, after all, who was moving 
around in this cautious manner in remembrance 
of the lessons that had been taught them all 
within the last few days. Ah! how he wished 
that such was the fact; for he was yearning for 


84 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


some clue to the whereabouts of his lost friends, 
and if Jo would only show himself, it would not 
be long before his sister would be with them, 
and then would come the end of this suspense 
and danger. A few minutes after, he was 
able to locate the point where the stranger was 
stealing toward him. 


CHAPTER XII. 


A CURIOUS COMBAT. 

It was perhaps not a singular coincidence 
that the Indian appeared in the densest portion 
of the undergrowth, at the precise spot where 
Ned Clinton was expecting he would show him- 
self. It was natural that a red scout, in steal- 
ing upon a foe, should avail themself of all the 
shelter within his reach, though it was a ques- 
tion with the youth as to whether this warrior 
could be aware of his position, inasmuch as 
he had not materially shifted it since the 
departure of the Mohawk. But there he was; 
there could be no question about that, and Ned 
prepared for his coming. 

The movements of the savage were so cautious 
that the young scout would never have detected 
them had he not been on the watch, and had 
not his suspicion been turned directly to the 
point. Ned stood like a statue, his eye fixed 
upon the spot where he knew the Indian to be, 
with his own rifle held so that it could be 

85 


86 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


pointed and fired at an instant’s notice. ^It was 
not long after that, in the gloom, the figure of 
a crouching warrior began assuming form, and 
as soon as Ned could distinguish it quite clearly, 
he saw that it was not Ivcna-Wingo, the 
Mohawk. The warrior was not tall enough for 
that. 

There remained for one moment the hope that 
it might be his friend Jo Minturn, the height 
being such as to warrant that assumption, ljut 
when it had drawn a little closer, tliis hope was 
dissipated. A strange, and consequently hostile, 
Indian was advancing upon him. Ned still 
inclined to the belief that the warrior was not 
really aware what an armed foe stood directly 
before him, for his action exposed him to a fatal 
shot whenever the youth chose to fire it. 

At the the time the savage came into view, less 
than a dozen yards were between the two, from 
which it will be seen that Ned Clinton could 
have shot him at an\" instant without anything 
more than raising and firing his gun. But there 
was something in such an act that was too 
shocking for the youth to undertake, and he 
held his weapon so that it could be called into 
service the instant needed, but refrained from 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


87 


doing anything more until necessary as a mat- 
ter of self-defense. 

“I’ll wait till there is no helping it,” was his 
thought. “For to shoot a man that way, with- 
out giving him a warning, isn’t the fair thing.” 

The actions of the warrior were peculiar, and not 
understood by the young scout who was watch- 
ing him. After issuing from the undergrowth, 
he walked quite rapidly until he had passed 
half-way across the open space, when he stopped, 
as if something suspicious had struck his ear. 
Ned supposed at first that he had detected his 
danger, but a moment’s reflection convinced him 
that such was not the case, for the youth was 
certain he had not stirred a muscle since the 
appearance of the Indian, and he was sure that 
he was so screened by the darkness that an owl 
itself would not be able to see him. What it was, 
therefore, that was the cause of his stopping in 
that abrupt fashion was more than could be 
surmised. 

But Ned could not help reflecting on the fact 
that he had the Indian completely at his mercy, 
and should he so conclude, nothing could avail 
to stay the fatal shot. He was standing before 
him, in the attitude of intense attention, offer- 


88 


LBNA-WlNCO, 'THS MOHAWR. 


ing a target which a child could not have missed. 
But the Iroquois was safe, for Ned Clinton 
was too much of a Christian to make war in 
that fashion. 

While the youth was wondering and speculat- 
ing as to what the business of the Indian was, 
and what was likely to be his next step, he was 
startled to observe a shadowy figure issue from 
the point in the undergrowth on the left and 
behind the warrior, and move toward him. 
The first look at the height of this second figure 
left no doubt of its identity. It was Lena- 
Wingo, who was “going for” the Iroquois with 
a vengeance, and no mistake. 

With such absolute silence did the Mohawk 
proceed, that, although his foe was standing 
still and listening, he heard nothing of him. 
The red scout did not hesitate, having started 
on his mission, but, with the stealthy, gliding 
movement of the serpent, he headed straight 
for the unconscious warrior. The next instant, 
with a panther-like bound, he landed upon his 
shoulders, and bore the Iroquois helplessly to 
the ground. Attacked in this manner, and 
caught at such disadvantage, it will be seen 
that the Mohawk was master of the situation. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


89 


He could have slain an enemy of twice the 
strength and skill, when assailing him in this 
manner. And yet the undermost Indian escaped 
without a scratch! 

Lena-Wingo was in an angry mood, due to 
the suspicion that the warrior was one of those 
who had discovered the hiding-place of Rosa 
Minturn and taken her away. He bore him 
resistlessly to the earth, and was about to drive 
his hunting-knife home — for he was too maddened 
to feel any compunction about doing so — when 
the victim gave utterance to an exclamation 
which arrested the uplifted arm. There was 
something in the voice, or rather, some peculiar- 
ity of action on the part of the vanquished, 
which raised a suspicion in the mind of the 
Mohawk, who instantly loosened his hold and 
pronounced a name. The answer was satis- 
factory. The deadly grip was loosened the 
instant after, and the two rose side by side and 
walked away in the darkness like a couple of 
friends, as indeed they were. 

To explain the curious proceeding, we have 
only to tell our readers that the warrior who 
thus escaped impending death was the one that 
had come upon Rosa Minturn and Lena-Wingo 


90 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


when they were in hiding from the Iroquois 
during the early stages of the journey to 
Wilkesbarre, and who spared them and succeeded 
in drawing others from the immediate vicinity. 
A friendly act of that kind could not be for- 
gotten by the Mohawk, who sheathed his knife 
the instant the suspicion of the warrior’s iden- 
tity entered his mind. 

Clinton, fortunately for his own mental bal- 
ance, suspected the true state of the case from 
the action of the combatants, having learned of 
the curious favors the Mohawk had received 
when there was seemingly no escape for them 
and his companions. But he was amazed at the 
subsequent action of Lena-Wingo, who, having 
walked off with his man, stayed for a time with 
him! 

“He might have excused himself for a second,” 
growled the youth, “so as to come to me and 
tell me whether he is likely to be along this way 
before morning; but now I have only to keep 
up my watching and waiting till the cows come 
home.” 

Reflection convinced the youth that something 
was likely to result from this action of the 
Mohawk, who, having taken the arm, so to 


LENA-WiNftO, 'THE MOHAWK. 


91 


speak, of his enemy, might gain valuable infor- 
mation from him. The only question was 
whether it would be in time to prove of practi- 
cal benefit to those concerned. The night was 
wearing away, and unless a start should be 
made within a couple of hours at the most, Ned 
did not believe it possible to do anything 
in that direction before the succeeding night. 

For some cause or other, the white youth had 
settled into the belief that the only time in which 
the Mohawk meant to make his grand attempt 
was during the darkness — a plan to which the 
red scout had not fully committed himself. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


THE YOUNG SCOUTS. 

Ned was not doomed to as tedious a wait as 
he anticipated after the departure of the Mohawk 
with his newly found friend or enemy, as the 
case might be. He had worked himself into as 
dismal a mood as was possible, when his interest 
was roused once more by the sound of some one 
approaching the place where he was standing. 

“I suppose the Mohawk has talked the fellow 
out, and will come back and treat me to a dose 
of the same medicine — hello! It isn’t he!” 

Nor was it an Indian, either, but no less a 
person than Jo Min turn, the very one for whom 
the young scout was looking and yearning with 
all the affection of his nature. Jo was making 
his way as though expecting the appearance of 
no friend or enemy, though he exercised the 
caution that had been taught him since under- 
taking the r61e of scout. Ned did not wait 
after making sure of his friend, but with a single 
bound caught his hand in a fervent grasp. 

92 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


93 


‘‘Well, Jo, my old boy! Where have you been? 
What have you been doing? Where is Rosa? 
Why have you kept us waiting so long?” 

As soon as Jo could catch his breath and 
identify his companion, he returned the pressure 
and greeting with interest. 

“Well, Ned, my dear fellow! I never expected 
to see you alive! You are as one risen from the 
dead! Let’s shake again!” 

“And what led you to have such fears about 
me?” asked Ned, as he heartily responded to the 
suggestion of his comrade. 

“Why shouldn’t I, when I saw you a captive 
with the Iroquois?” 

“Ah! If you knew about that, I don’t blame 
you for having such thoughts of my future, for 
I felt myself that all was about up. But I 
didn’t suppose you were in the neighborhood.” 

“I wouldn’t have been if it were not for 
Rosa.” 

“How was that?” 

“She insisted that you ought to be away no 
longer than an hour at the most, and when 
that time passed, she was so alarmed that she 
would give me no peace till I had gone out to 


94 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


find whether there was anything up with you 
or not.’’ 

^‘Was she the cause of your going?” 

‘‘Most certainly she was, for I didn’t believe 
you were in the least danger and only went to 
please her.” 

The listener was thrilled with pleasure at hear- 
ing this, for it had not entered his head that the 
young lady was so interested in his welfare as 
all that. He was too absorbed in his own 
happiness to know or notice that his good 
friend took pains to impress the fact on him. 
But the wish of Ned to prevent any one sus- 
pecting his secret led him to hurry with his 
questions and with the imparting of informa- 
tion. 

“It was very kind in Rosa to show such 
interest in me, and you learned that I was in 
need of help, which, thank Heaven, I got.” 

“So it seems, or you wouldn’t be here. It 
was the Mohawk, of course?” 

“Yes; he succeeded in mixing up things in so 
bewildering a way, that all I had to do was to 
leave, which I did, without waiting to say 
good-bye.” 


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MBJiXINO OF NHD AND ,]OK 


Page 























LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


97 


“I went down to the tree, here, where it 
seems all your most exciting experiences must 
start, and I was on the point of going back, 
when it struck me that I had a good chance of 
trailing you, inasmuch as we have been study- 
ing that profession for the last few days when- 
ever we could get a chance, and this was a fine 
opening for another trial. So I went at it, 
walked slowly, and making sure of every step, 
till, before I had gone very far, you can imagine 
what my feelings were when I found you were 
actually a prisoner in the hands of a party of 
Iroquois. I tried to think I was mistaken, but 
the signs were too plain to allow me, and I kept 
at it till I got sight of you among a band of 
them. There isn’t any use, Ned, of my telling 
how I felt about that time, for neither you nor 
I knew where the Mohawk was, nor whether he 
was likely to learn your fix before hours after 
your death. I couldn’t see any way to help you, 
and I was afraid to go back to Rosa with the 
story, for it would have broken her heart. 

“The only thing I could think of was Lena- 
Wingo. He was the sole living man that could 
do anything for you, and, though I had no idea 


7 


98 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


of where he was to be found, I started to make 
the hunt for him. 

“I was afraid the time for this would be so 
long that Rosa would become worried about me, 
so I slipped back to the cavern, and told her I 
wouldn’t be back till after dark, and she needn’t 
have any fear for me. She was willing to do that, 
for I can tell you she was dreadfully worried 
about you, though I don’t see why she should 
have been, when you have gone off for a much 
longer time without her thinking anything was 
wrong. 

“It must be,” added the brother, philosophic- 
ally, “that women can feel when there is any- 
thing wrong. But I started back, and when I 
reached the place where you had been in camp 
you were not to be seen. I didn’t know but 
that they had killed you, and I was frightened, 
I can tell you, for there wasn’t any way for me 
to find out. 

“I had heard a gun or two before I got there, 
and after looking around and hunting up the 
matter as well as I could, it struck me that you 
were dead — killed by the Iroquois — and I started 
back to tell Rosa. I couldn’t be in fnuch of a 
hurry, and I poked along all I could, till I made 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


99 


up ray mind that the sooner it was over the 
better, and I was near the cavern when I found 
you, or rather, you found me.” 

^‘Are you on your way to the cavern now?” 

“I ara. Where is the Mohawk? And, while 
you are about it, let me know how it was you 
got out of the scrape?” 

Ned Clinton related, as briefly as he could, the 
manner in which he had succeeded in making his 
way to this place, the particulars of which 
have already been told our readers. But a new 
fear had grown in the mind of the young scout, 
and the instant he had satisfied the curiosity of 
his friend, he added the information that Lena- 
Wingo, the Mohawk, had entered the cavern 
and examined it, with the result of learning that 
no one was there. Jo was naturally alarmed, 
but not so much so as Ned, for he believed his 
sister was somewhere in the neighborhood, and 
would be found without difficulty. 

“I think she has seen or heard something that 
has led her to look on the cavern as not as 
safe as we supposed, and she has taken up her 
quarters somewhere near at hand. Did you sig- 
nal to h'er in any way?” 

“I don’t recollect that we did.” 


100 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


“I should think the Mohawk would have done 
that. If we go back and try it, the chances are 
she will be found pretty soon.” 

“The scout told me to wait here till he returned, 
and it will hardly do to go off until he shows 
himself.” 

This was in accordance with the resolution 
made by the youths after several of their slips, 
and, anxious as they were to hunt up the miss- 
ing one, Jo could not urge his friend to forget 
his agreement. A compromise was struck, after 
consultation, it being arranged that Jo should 
return to the cavern, while Ned would await 
the coming of the Mohawk, as he was instructed 
to do. This was done, and, as may be imag- 
ined, Ned found his task one of the most irk- 
some of his life, as he could view it in no other 
light than that of a total waste of time. 

“I wish I could believe Jo is right,” he mused; 
“but all the probabilities point the other way. 
It is hard to understand why it was the 
Mohawk did not signal to Rosa; but he 
wouldn’t have been apt to stay away as long 
as this if he hadn’t reason to believe she is 
somewhere among the Indians. That camp fire 
down the mountain indicates the same thing. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


101 


and then when he picked up that warrior after 
knocking him down, he got something from him 
which has sent him off on some other hunt, while 
I am compelled to stay here, doing nothing, and 
without the least idea of what is going on 
around me.’’ 

This was not the most comforting situation 
that can be imagined, but the youth having 
resolved to stay there and await the return of 
the Mohawk, stuck to the duty with the firm- 
ness of a martyr. At the end of a full round 
hour, the Mohawk came back, with his stealthy 
tread, not being heard before he stood beside 
the young scout. 

But Lena-Wingo was alone, and he had 
nothing to tell of Rosa. 


CHAPTER XIV. 


A STRANGE DISCOVERY. 

The prospect grew darker and darker. 

“No good— girl gone — won’t find her,” said 
the Indian. 

At the same time the warrior turned in the 
direction of the cavern, and led the way, with 
the young scout by his side. Approaching the 
retreat, the Mohawk told all that his com- 
panion wanted to know, and all that he had to 
tell him. Between the scout and the Iroquois 
whom he had spared because of favors received 
from him, there was a certain chivalrous con- 
sideration which prevented Lena-Wingo using 
him to that extent which Ned expected. Nothing 
had passed between them regarding the where- 
abouts of Rosa, Lena-Wingo asking no question, 
and the Iroquois vouchsafing no information, 
so that they parted with no additional wisdom 
regarding the missing one on the part of the 
Mohawk. 


102 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


103 


The latter, as might be supposed, had recon- 
noitered the camp fire to which reference has 
been made, and found that three Indians belong- 
ing, as it seemed, to a party which had crossed 
the Susquehanna subsequently to the rest were 
engaged in preparing supper, preliminary to 
uniting with the main company. The actions 
of this group showed, too, that they must have 
come over within a few hours, and knew noth- 
ing of what had taken place in the meantime, 
so that little if anything was to be obtained 
from them. It took several hours for the 
Mohawk to satisfy himself fully on this point, 
after which he went ahead of them to where the 
main party with whom he had had the skirmish 
described were encamped. Here he saw Colonel 
Butler and the leading Iroquois, though the 
larger number of the latter were absent in the 
forest, on the search forthe Mohawk and fugitives. 

It being evident that Rosa was not in the 
custody of the Tory leader, Lena-Wingo went 
back to consult with young Clinton. It vSeemed 
to the latter that the story told by his dusky 
friend ought to afford encouragement, and he 
so stated, but the Indian did not accept it in 
that light. As was generally the case, when 


104 . 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


things were not moving to suit him, Lena-Wingo 
was moody and uncommunicative, and he did 
not take the trouble to explain the strange 
thoughts that came into his mind. 

Ned knew he was working upon some well- 
laid plan, and he was filled with the gravest 
fears for the one to whom he was so tenderly 
attached. Where she was, or what had become 
of her, was more than the youth could con- 
jecture. It struck him that if she was not in 
the hands of the Tory, she was likely to be 
within reach of her friends; but when he made 
the suggestion to Lena-Wingo, he shook his 
head to signify he held a different and 
more disheartening theory. Then Ned related 
what Jo said about the signaling to her, and, 
to his surprise, the Mohawk replied that he had 
done so more than once, without producing 
the slightest result. This reply left the young 
man in despair again. 

When the destination was reached they were 
not kept waiting for the coming of Jo Min turn. 
He was looking for them, and went forward to 
greet them. As he did so his manner told the 
whole story. He had not been able to gain the 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


105 


least knowledge of his sister, and was in the 
deepest distress. 

It was touching to hear his appeal to the 
Mohawk to find and restore the dear one to 
him, declaring that it would break the hearts of 
her parents unless she was given back to them. 
Ned felt that he might have added that the 
heart of another would suffer beyond imagina- 
tion, but thought it best to hold his peace for 
the time. Lena-Wingo listened to the appeal in 
silence, and made no answer — an unfavorable 
omen, as the young scouts interpreted it. 

Of course it was out of the question to make 
the entry into Wilkesbarre that night. Daylight 
was close at hand, and, were the missing one 
found within the next ten minutes, not enough 
of darkness remained to allow them to reach 
the fortifications— that is, as it seemed to the 
young men themselves. 

"‘Is there nothing you can do?’^ asked the 
stricken brother, resolved to wring some reply 
from the Indian. 

The Mohawk was leaning on his rifle in a 
customary attitude, and he stood as if he heard 
not the query addressed to him. 


106 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


“Wait till he is through his thinhing,” said 
Ned, in an undertone, sympathizing with the 
anguish of his young friend, aside from his own 
sorrow over the absence of Rosa. 

Jo restrained his impatience until the Mohawk 
straightened up, when the question was put 
again. 

“Yes — do something,” was the reply of the 
warrior. “Work hard — find her — won’t take 
long — soon get girl — wait till morning.” 

“That is what I expected,” said Ned. “The 
whole thing is thrown forward another twenty- 
four hours.” 

“I care not if it be for twenty-four days, if it 
results in finding her,” said the brother, who 
was suffering such mental anguish that he 
could not hold his peace. “I have been through 
and through that cavern,” he added, speaking 
to Ned, “until there is not a corner in it that is 
not as familiar to me as the rooms in our own 
house at home, hoping that she might have 
fallen asleep in some spot overlooked in the 
former search, but it was all of no avail.” 

“You might have known that, when the 
Mohawk preceded you in the hunt,” said 
Clinton. 


LENA-WINGO, 'THE MOHAWK. 


107 


‘‘The only way by which I can explain it is, 
that while we were gone, some straggling Indian 
has stumbled upon the place and taken her 
away.” 

“It may be that she found her situation so 
threatening that she came out voluntarily, and 
has taken refuge in the woods, wandering so 
far off that she is beyond the reach of our 
signal.” 

“Such is the most favorable view that we can 
take, but, somehow or other, I cannot believe 
we shall meet her again.” 

“Don’t be ready to despair so soon, Jo. We 
have had so many deliverances that we ought 
not to doubt the hand of God will be stretched 
forth again to save her.” 

“What does Lena-Wingo mean by saying that 
we must wait till morning?” 

“It is known that Rosa is gone. When day- 
light comes, the Mohawk will be able to solve 
the mystery. She could not depart without 
leaving behind her evidences which will tell the 
story, and we must wait till the coming of the 
day for him to read those signs aright.” 

“Then we shall not have to wait long.” 


108 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


*‘No. There are already signs of morning 
breaking.” 

“I dread to hear what he tells us.” 

“You are less hopeful than I,” said Ned. 

“But not less so than the Mohawk himself.” 

“It is hard to tell what he thinks.” 

The two friends watched the advent of the 
day, hardly exchanging another word until the 
growing light showed that the sun at last was 
above the horizon. Then their eyes naturally 
turned to the Mohawk for his solution of the 
mystery. As before, he was leaning on his gun, 
merged in the same depth of thought. Impa- 
tient as they were, they did not venture to dis- 
turb him until he was ready to look up and 
take note of what was passing round him. 

He did so shortly, and without saying a word 
proceeded to make another examination of the 
cavern when he had the daylight at his elbow. 
Skilled and experienced as he was in woodcraft, 
it took him but a short time to solve the prob- 
lem. Then it was that the Mohawk made 
known that Rosa Minturn had been driven 
away, but not by fear of Indians. 


CHAPTER XY. 


A DISTURBANCE IN SLEEP. 

When Rosa bade her friends good-bye and 
entered the cavern, she was in as high hopes 
and ardent spirits as they. To her, it seemed, 
that in a few more hours, at most, they would 
enter Wilkesbarre, and end all persecution and 
danger. She was left alone for a considerable 
time in the cavern, none of her friends supposing 
that peril could come to her so long as she 
remained there, nor had Rosa herself any appre- 
hensions. When she found herself alone in the 
retreat, with the prospect of waiting an indefi- 
nite period, she resumed her position on the 
couch, intending to obtain a few more hours 
of sleep, before starting on the journey for 
Wilkesbarre. At the end of an hour a drowsi- 
ness began stealing over her, and as the still- 
ness was unbroken, she soon dropped into 
unconsciousness. 

The sleep was not profound, and it needed but 
a slight cause to break it, as was soon proved. 

109 


110 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


The major part of an hour had gone by, when 
Rosa’s senses came back to her. She learned at 
once that some one was at the mouth of the 
cavern. The noise was slight — such as would be 
made by any one trying to open the door with- 
out betraying himself— and she listened intently 
for a minute or two without stirring. 

She was not frightened, for she was quite 
sure that it was one of her friends making his 
way into the shelter, his purpose, no doubt, 
being to avoid any noise, after learning she was 
asleep. The impression was strong that some 
one had been calling her by name, which she 
believed was the cause of her awaking. But, as 
she had given back no response, he or they were 
entering to learn the cause. 

“I suppose it’s Jo,” she thought; though it 
may be that Ned, and possibly Lena-Wingo, are 
with him, and they are tired of calling to me, 
and mean to open the door themselves. Well, 
I’m glad of it, and hope they are all here.” 

The movement and noise continued for some 
seconds more, during which no fear entered the 
mind of Rosa that any one could be the cause 
excepting a friend of her own. Listening a 
brief time in this manner she called out : 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


Ill 


“Is that you, Jo.” 

The noise ceased, as if the person had caught 
the sound, of the voice without detecting the 
words. 

“Is that you, Jo, or Ned, or Lena-Wingo?” 
repeated the girl, in tones so loud she was sure 
they must have reached their ears. 

All was still : there was no reply to the 
summons. For the first time, a fear came over 
her, and the suspicion flashed across her mind 
that it was not a friend who was seeking 
entrance into the cavern ! The suspicion came 
so suddenly that for a moment she was unable 
to move or speak. 

Then, as she regained control of her thoughts, 
the dreadful suspicion returned with overwhelm- 
ing force. After all, the cavern had been discov- 
ered by the Indians, who were stealing in after 
her. Possibly it was Colonel Butler himself, or 
some of his Tory allies. 

The silence which succeeded her hail of the 
parties continued but a few seconds, when the 
noise was heard again. The poor girl bewailed 
her error in summoning the party as she had 
done, but regrets could avail nothing, and 
through her brain ran the torturing question 


112 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


whether there was any way of averting the 
impending calamity. It seemed to her that the 
sound which fell upon her ear was not that 
which would be made by one seeking to force 
his way into the cavern. It is hard to tell 
the precise character of the noise that had 
aroused her, but it suggested that some one 
was tugging at tHe stone which she found 
moved so easily. Besides this, the labor was 
continued longer than appeared natural. Why 
it was necessary that a man should toil and 
labor with a “door” which was not fastened 
was more than she could understand. 

The only plan that suggested itself to the dis- 
tressed girl was for her to steal up close to the 
opening and wait until the Indian should effect 
an entrance and then endeavor to slip out unob- 
served. This was as fearful a task as she could 
impose on herself, but Rosa possessed the cour- 
age to make the attempt, if the opportunity 
should be afforded her. With a prayer to Heaven 
for help, she rose, and while the noise at the 
entrance continued, crept as near to it as was 
advisable, and crouched down in silence. 

Once more it struck her that there was some- 
thing singular in the manner of her enemy, who 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


113 


appeared to be toiling at the opening in a blind, 
aimless way, as if at a loss to comprehend how 
he was to get into the place after discovering 
it. This caused her no thrill of hope, for she 
could not believe that the enemy would give up 
and go away, after hearing the voice of the very 
one for whom he was searching within the cavern. 
By leaning forward, and peering toward the 
opening, she was able to catch the faint back- 
ground of the sky. At the same time she saw 
the movement of something thrown against it, 
which she concluded must be the Indian endeav- 
oring to force his way inside. For a time the 
only result of this scrutiny on her part was the 
conviction that, instead of two or three Indians, 
she had but a single one to encounter. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


AN UNWELCOME VISITOR. 

The interior of the eavern was in darkness, 
for not a ray of light found its way in after 
sunset. Consequently, Rosa was seeure from 
observation so long as her enemy brought 
no light with him, but it was not to be sup- 
posed that she eould elude him in an explora- 
tion of the place. Her purpose was to wait 
where she was in perfect silence till sure the 
savage had passed, when she hoped to slip 
out and reach the shelter of the woods before 
he could overtake her. As it was the only thing 
that presented itself, Rosa remained unfaltering 
in her determination to attempt it. 

The time was short, but the seconds were of 
interminable length to the waiting girl. She had 
braced her nerves for the effort, when all at 
once it occurred to her that whatever the agency 
at work at the opening of the cavern, its conduct 
was different from that of a man. The suspicion 
had no more than entered her mind, when the 
enemy emitted a growl which told the whole 

114 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


115 


story, and showed her that the threatened 
danger was of another character than what she 
had supposed. 

It was not an Indian, but a black hear^ that 
was seeking to effect an entrance into the 
retreat. 

For one instant Rosa did not know whether 
to be relieved or not at the discovery, but the 
peril w^as of that immediate nature that a change 
was necessary in the plan she had formed to 
escape it. The bear would be guided more by 
the sense of smell than by that of sight, and 
was not apt to pass by her and afford the 
chance for her to slip out as she had intended, 
nor would the darkness prove of any service. 

As these reflections passed through the mind of 
the girl, a chilling terror crept over her, for it 
seemed there was no escape except by the inter- 
position of Heaven. She bad no weapon, and it 
really looked as if there was nothing which she 
could do. But Rosa Minturn was not the one to 
give up in a contest, no matter what its nature, 
without doing all that was possible. Certain 
that the worst course was to stay where she 
was, she hurried back to her foriner station by 
the cot where she lay sleeping at the time she 


116 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


was awakened by the sound of Bruin at the 
entrance. 

It struck her as strange that a brute of the 
size and strength of the bear should be baffled 
so long, when her own power was able to draw 
the stone aside without difflculty. She concluded 
that the obstruction which served the purpose 
of a door had become displaced in some way, so 
that the paws of the creature were unable to 
secure a hold upon them. As she reached the 
refuge, her foot struck an obstruction and at 
the same instant she ejaculated: 

“Thank God!” 

The object encountered was the broad, flat 
stone which covered the underground passage 
that had been shown her by Lena-Wingo, the 
Mohawk. Not until her foot came in contact 
with it did she recall that this means of escape 
was at her command. No time was to be lost. 

The ejaculation was scarcely uttered, when a 
heavy sound at the mouth of the cavern told 
her that the bear had entered! Without hesita- 
tion, Rosa stooped and seized the edge of the 
large stone. It proved heavier than she antici- 
pated, but the occasion was one that made her 
«itrength greater than ever before, and the cover* 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


117 


ing was raised with little trouble. She had not 
seen what was below the trap-door, as it might 
be called, and at any other time she would 
have hesitated before entering the tunnel in the 
blank darkness. But delay meant embrace in 
the arms of the bear, whose “hugging” was 
certain to be fatal. Without a second’s pause 
she placed herself beneath the stone, careful to 
see that it was replaced in position over her 
head. 

She could not feel that as yet she was safe 
against the bear, as it would be natural for him 
to follow her. But she had made her way only 
a short distance along the tunnel, when she 
became satisfied that the opening was so nar- 
row that it would be impossible for the brute 
to pursue her. This was a great relief, and she 
began threading the passage with the care and 
caution of one traveling a strange road at 
night. 

The tunnel was of the most primitive nature, 
being simply an underground hole, not walled 
or protected in any manner. In the course of 
time a great deal of earth had fallen in, and the 
task of making her way through it to the outer 
entrance was not a slight one. But she could 


118 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


not think of returning to the cavern where she 
believed the bear had taken up his quarters for 
the night. Accordingly, she persevered, and 
gradually neared the outlet, which was reached 
after frequent pauses, caused by the falling in 
of the earthen walls of the passage. 

When she found herself at last at the end of 
the underground journey, with the other flat 
stone above her head, she placed her hands 
against the dower side and shoved it aside 
without trouble. Here she naturally paused for 
a moment or two, fearing that there might be a 
bear on the outside as well as inside the cavern. 
Looking around as well as she could in the 
gloom she detected nothing of an alarming nature, 
and carefully climbed to the upper surface of 
the earth again. 

“Very well,’^ she said to herself, with some- 
thing of her natural humor; “if a big black 
bear has made up his mind to stay all night in 
that place, I will make up my mind to stay out 
of it.’’ 

Her greatest distress just then was the soiling 
her clothing had received from her contact with 
the dirt in the underground trip to the outer 
world. But this was more of the nature of 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


119 


dust, and after a little vigorous brushing, she 
freed herself almost entirely from it — enough, at 
any rate, to restore the composure of her mind. 
So far she had certainly been fortunate, and it 
would seem that she had no very difficult task 
in arranging for the manner in which the rest of 
the night should be spent. 

“Jo and Ned will come back to the cavern to 
look for nie,'^ she reflected, “and it will not do 
to go so far off that they will, have trouble in 
finding me.’’ 

No conclusion could be more correct than this, 
and the pity was that it was not carried out in 
spirit and letter, as she meant that it should 
be. It w’as not very agreeable to spend a few 
hours in the open air in the darkness, after the 
call she had received from the bear, and in view 
of the fact that she had no weapons with which 
to defend herself. The fact that one bear had 
made his appearance was presumptive evidence 
that others were likely to come, and this in 
turn was the cause of the fair fugitive resolving 
to spend the few hours of waiting at a little 
distance from the cavern. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


ALL ADRIFT. 

Rosa was confirmed in the wisdom of her 
decision by the noise of something like the tread 
of another wild animal. She did not stop to 
investigate the nature of this new-comer on the 
scene, but made as hasty a withdrawal from the 
spot as was consistent with silence. She half 
expected the wild beast would start in pursuit, in 
which case her only resource would be to take to 
a tree — a resource to which she had fled more 
than once before in the woods. When she 
paused in her brief flight, to listen to sounds of 
pursuit, there was nothing of an alarming 
nature, and she thanked Heaven that she had 
been permitted to escape. 

The point where she halted in her flight was, 

perhaps, two hundred yards from the cavern, 

and in the midst of the forest, which at that 

day lined both sides of the Susquehanna. She 

was liable to go astray as to the location of 

her former shelter which she looked upon as the 
120 


LENA-WtNCO, T'HE MOHAWK. 


121 


headquarters of the party. The most prudent 
thing was to stay where she was until the 
arrival of her friends or the breaking of day. 
Her distanee from the cavern was not too great 
for her to hear their signals when they should 
reach it, and she could then readily rejoin them. 

Such would have been her course, but for an 
occurrence that ought to have influenced her 
differently. She was searching for some place 
where she could spend an hour or two with 
comfort, when she was alarmed by the tramp 
of some denizen of the forest. She was sure he 
was making straight for her, and without paus- 
ing to climb one of the trees around her, she 
started on a run for another place of refuge. 
Rosa was fleet of foot, and in her terror she 
ran further than was necessary to escape from 
this particular wild animal. Had she known 
that the brute was the same bear that had 
driven her out of the cavern, and that the latter 
place was now free, she would have returned to 
it, and awaited the return of her friends. But, 
fearing she would be followed, she continued 
walking until so far from her starting point 
that it was impossible to make her way back 
again until daylight. 


122 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


Rosa was unaware that she had lost her reckon- 
ing, and when, after the passage of another 
half hour, it occurred to her to return to the 
vicinity of the cavern, so as to be within call 
when her friends should come back, she did not 
anticipate trouble in reaching the spot. She 
walked with a cautious tread, often stopping 
and listening for sounds of the wild beasts that 
she believed were all around her, until, when 
she believed she had gone far enough, and 
stopped to look for the cavern, nothing was to 
be seen of it. Even then she suspected she had 
missed the place by a narrow margin, which 
could be easily recovered. Confident that it 
would be found a few yards to the left of where 
she had paused, she turned her face thither, and 
walked twice as far as she thought necessary, 
only to discover herself in the depth of the 
forest. 

“Can it be I am lost?” she asked, in dismay. 
“There is nothing around me, so far as I can 
see, that I have ever looked upon before, and I 
have traveled far enough to get a long way 
from the cavern, if I went in the wrong 
direction.” 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


123 


She did not wish to believe she had committed 
so serious a blunder as that. But the conviction 
was forcing itself upon her, nevertheless, that it 
was the fact. 

The discovery was anything but a pleasant 
one, for she believed it was about the period 
when some of her friends would be looking for 
her. At the same time she was filled with a 
dread that her abvSence would be the cause of 
delay in carrying out the plan of entering 
Wilkesbarre that night. Lena-Wingo would not 
be able to trail her in the gloom, nor would he 
understand the cause that had driven her from 
the cavern. In short, Rosa saw in the forced 
action on her part the ruin of all the plans of 
their dusky friend, who had taken great pains 
to conduct her to safety behind the fortifications 
of the little town. 

How bitterly Jo and Ned would regret her 
forgetfulness of the vow they had made among 
themselves to follow the instructions of the 
Mohawk, no matter what the temptation to 
disregard them! The poignancy of these reflec- 
tions was the cause of her taking her second step in 
the series of unfortunate ones that now marred her 
experience. Had she been on a hunting excur- 


124 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


sion, as was often the case, with the Mohaw’k, 
she would have been thoughtful enough to have 
remained where she was until morning. This 
would have simplified the difficulty so that a 
meeting with her friend would have followed. 
But her anxiety to undo the error committed 
led her to forget such manifest precautions as 
these, and caused her to continue the effort to 
retrieve the slip. 

The result was inevitable. She went further 
and further astray, until at the moment Lena- 
Wingo uttered the signals intending to summon 
her to them, she was a third of a mile beyond 
the point reached by the faint whistling. As the 
conviction forced itself upon her that she was 
hopelessly lost, her distress and self-reproach 
gave her no rest. Yielding to a resistless desire 
to keep on moving she turned off along the 
bank of a stream, which, though of insignificant 
proportions, was too broad for her to cross. 
The wanderer had reached the point, by this 
time, of having given up all hope of reaching 
the cavern, unless she should drift back by some 
Providential good fortune, and she still kept 
forward. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


AI.L ALONE. 

A STRANGE fatality seems to attend those who 
become lost in the woods, whether it be at night 
or in the daytime. Men who have spent years 
in hunting and have lived in the solitudes bid 
good-bye to their senses when called upon to 
face a trouble that has threatened them from 
the first. In addition to that curious tendency 
to move in a circle which is known to every 
one there is the same weakness which is sup- 
posed to belong to those who have had no 
experience in fighting the danger of the wilder- 
ness. Hunters have fallen down and perished 
within call of their own door-steps, and others 
have wandered for days, until overtaken by 
death from starvation or exposure. 

Rosa Minturn had attracted the admiration 
of the veteran Lena-Wingo by the self-posses- 
sion which she displayed in more than one situ- 
ation of peril when wandering with him in the 
woods, but she had lost her head now, and wa3 

1^5 


126 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


acting like one who had never enjoyed the train- 
ing of such a teacher as he. An hour passed 
after reaching the small stream, when she came 
to a portion where the brook — for it was noth- 
ing more — was spanned by a tree, whose roots 
were on the other side, while the top, having 
fallen, was resting on the shore upon which she 
stood. 

“Shall I eross?’’ was the question which she 
asked herself, and debated for several minutes. 
“I don’t know whether I am safer on one side 
than another; I haven’t seen this stream before, 
and so it would seem that I ought not to go 
over, but stay where I am.” 

The inclination to cross was so great that she 
yielded, and, stepping upon the trunk, which was 
quite broad and heavy, she began walking over. 
The distance was so short that no difficulty 
attended the performance, even if the trunk had 
been only a fractional part as large. But she 
was a child of fancies then, and she was about 
half way over when she paused, under the 
belief that some one else w^as about 'to cross 
from the other side! 

She did not turn back and flee, as would have 
been natural, but stopped and stared at the 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


127 


dark shore, wondering whether it was friend or 
foe. Then the belief seized her that it was 
neither, but that some wild animal was crouch- 
ing in the dark, waiting till she came nearer before 
he seized her ! This was very little, if any, improve- 
ment on the presence of an Indian, but it was 
enough to cause the fugitive to turn on her heel 
and speed back to the shore she had just left 
with far more haste than she had shown in 
starting. 

*‘That^s a warning for me to stay where I 
am,” she concluded, springing to the ground and 
looking alfrightedly behind her to see whether 
the terrible beast was following her. 

The probability was that no animal at all 
was there, and that the alarming cause was 
nothing more than a rustling leaf, or the slight 
displacement caused by her additional weight 
upon the trunk, but the wanderer lost no time 
in leaving the spot where she believed a wild 
beast was waiting to devour her. She had 
spent a long time in the woods, and the night 
was well past, though in her bewildered state 
she had, naturally enough, lost all idea of the 
passage of time. She had managed to drift fur- 
ther and further away from the cavern where her 


128 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


friends at that moment were conjecturing and 
speculating as to what had become of her. 

Rosa was not sensible of fatigue; for aside 
from her natural elasticity of frame, her state of 
mind rendered her oblivious to the weariness of 
the body. When she reached a point where she 
began to think she was beyond danger from the 
last wild beast that faced her, her thoughts 
were turned in a new direction by a light in the 
woods. At that moment she was quite a dis- 
tance from the stream where she had received 
her last fright, and the light was directly before 
her, so that she had but to walk straight ahead 
to reach it. 

“That may be the camp fire that Lena-Wingo 
has kindled to show me the way to them ; and 
then, again, it may belong to some of the Tories 
or Iroquois.” 

At any rate, it seemed a part of wisdom for her 
to assure herself, and, with little hesitation, she 
began stealing cautiously toward the ’loint. It 
was not far off, but she moved so slowly that ohe 
was a considerable time in reaching it. Before 
she had passed half the intervening distance, 
she caught sight of flitting figures moving back 
and forth before it. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


129 


The nearer she drew the more suspicious she 
was of the character of those gathered around 
it; and before she reached the place where she 
meant to make her final observations, all doubts 
were removed. She saw that she had ferreted 
out a camp of Indians. Four men were gath- 
ered about a small blaze that had been kindled 
against the trunk of a tree, and they were busy 
preparing something in the way of food. 

Rosa stood for several minutes, looking at 
the party with strange interest. Their faees 
were painted as hideously as the others whom 
she had met during the last few days, and 
there were no distinctive features about them 
that could convince her that she had seen them 
before. Whether they were a part of the score 
or more that had been at Forty Fort, with 
Colonel Butler, or whether they were a portion 
of another band, was more than she could 
decide. The wanderer believed that she was 
not a great distance from her starting point, 
so it seem ^ h'kely to her that they belonged to 
the body-guard of Butler himself, who was 
somewhere in the neighborhood. 

She had been so long in the woods that she 
began to think that dawn was not far off, in 

9 


130 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


which case it was important that she should 
lose no time in placing as great a distance as 
possible between her and her enemies. To do so 
it was necessary that she should pursue an 
opposite direction — that is, one leading away 
from the camp. She had gone but a short dis- 
tance when she saw signs of the break of day. 

“Now I will soon have Lena-Wingo on my 
trail,” she thought, with a thrill of hope; “but 
I may have some others, too, and there ^s no 
saying which will get the start.” 

This was a contingency which was not impos- 
sible by any means, and it caused the girl no 
little uneasiness. At times she was on the point 
of trying to make her trail as distinct as she 
could, so as to render it easier for the Mohawk 
to follow, but was restrained by the dread that 
it might be the means of guiding some of her 
enemies to her. The result was that she con- 
tinued at her ordinary gait, her conclusion 
being that one of the Indians, if he chose, could 
follow her footsteps, whether she tried to hide 
them or render them plain. She saw no signs 
of anything like a path, and it looked in many 
places as if hers was the first foot that had 
stirred the leaves for a long time. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


131 


Though well acquainted in a general way 
with the woods on both sides of the Susque- 
hanna, for a considerable distance from her home, 
Rosa was unable to detect anything that could 
tell her where she was, or by what possible 
means she could hope to find her way back to 
the cavern from which she had strayed. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


THE PURSUERS. 

When the morning dawned upon the lost girl, 
and she had considered as fairly as possible her 
situation, she was convinced that she ought to 
do one of two things : Find out by some means 
or other where she was, so that she could pro- 
ceed in the direction of the cavern and thus 
simplify the work of the Mohawk and her 
friends, or stay where she was; for she saw 
that her aimless wandering through the woods 
was only making the task of her rescuers more 
difficult, without benefiting herself in the least. 
The probability of her coming accidentally upon 
her destination was too remote to be considered 
in the case. In spite of the fact that she had 
been walking for hours, she was so anxious to 
help in the search for herself, that she kept up 
the hunt for some place that would tell her 
where she was, and thus give a definite aim to 
her wanderings. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


133 


It was not long before she succeeded in reach- 
ing higher ground, with enough cleared space to 
offer an extended survey of the surrounding 
country. But her disappointment was great 
when, with a number of square miles spread 
out before her, she was unable to understand 
the precise part of the world into which she had 
drifted. A long distance to the left something 
gleamed in the sunlight which she supposed was 
the Susquehanna, although its location was 
altogether different from what she supposed 
before reaching the spot. She spent some time 
in studying this question, for it was an impor- 
tant one to settle. The conclusion that she 
came to at last was that it must be the river. 

‘‘It is a much greater distance than I thought 
possible,” she reflected, “but when I walk 
several hours as I did, I must go more than a 
mile, and it looks as if I have traveled all the 
time in the wrong direction.” 

Concluding that she was gazing on the 
Susquehanna, it was not a difficult task to 
study out the course to reach the cavern. A 
few minutes enabled her to fix it in mind. When 
she left the open space that had served her as a 


134 


LENA-wiNGo, 'tHE Mohawk. 


lookout, and .started on the route she was con- 
vinced it was the right one. 

“This mistake of mine has put matters back 
for a day — that’s certain; and if the Mohawk has 
started after me, he will probably reach here 
about the same time that I get there, and then 
there will come another waiting spell. But we 
will have all the day to work and wait, and plenty 
of time to get things straight before night. If 
we do get together once more,” added the girl, 
in a voice which showed there was still painful 
doubt lingering in her mind, “I am sure we’ll 
stay together. We have separated for what we 
supposed was to be a few minutes, and it has 
turned out a few hours, and if I am permitted 
to join them once more I don’t intend that a 
big bear shall drive me away again.” 

She had fixed the course she was to follow so 
clearly in her mind that she felt little fear of 
going wrong. She continued forward not too 
rapidly, but with an unfaltering step which 
showed that she knew the right route. Never- 
theless, she was puzzled over the fact that she 
had gone only a comparatively short distance, 
when she found herself on the bank of a small 
stream, no doubt the same one where she met 


IvENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


135 


the wild beast, as she believed. This looked as 
if something was wrong, and for the moment 
Kosa was disheartened. 

“It seems to me that the harder I try to get 
right the more I go wrong. When Lena-Wingo 
finds me, I shall feel ashamed, for I have acted 
like one who was never in the woods before. 
Two years ago, when I was lost from him, I 
showed more sense than I have this time. 
Having once got off the track there seems no 
way that I can get back again. I may as well 
sit down and wait for him or some one to come 
along this route.’^ 

She moved along the bank of the little stream, 
which was found so narrow in many places that 
she was able to leap across. This she proved by 
making a light bound that landed her several 
inches beyond the flow of the water, though the 
soil of that particular spot was so moist that 
the imprint of a single delicate shoe was left to 
be admired by whomsoever seen. It did not 
occur to her that this imprint was likely to 
betray her to any one, and indeed she did not 
pause to observe that it was really made, but 
moved on until she had gone a few rods, when 
she paused near a dense growth of shrubbery, 


136 


LENA-WINGO, 'THE MoHAWK. 


and sat down upon a large stone. Once seated, 
she became aware that she was very tired* 

“I may as well stay here,” she mused, as she 
thought over the hours of wandering in the 
woods. ”A11 my tramping is not going to help 
Lena-Wingo to find me, and he will wish that I 
had stopped long ago, so as to make it easier 
for him to come up with me. He will find his 
way to this spot, and all I have to do is to 
wait for him.” 

There could be no question that the fugitive 
was right in this conclusion, and the situation 
was simply reduced to the problem whether her 
friend or an enemy would reach the spot first. 
The woods as she had learned long before, were 
full of the Iroquois, and there was always the 
possibility that some of them might find her; 
but it was not to be supposed that any were 
making a systematic search for her, while it was 
certain that the Mohawk was, and, therefore, 
the probabilities, as she looked upon them, 
pointed to a meeting with Lena-Wingo before 
encountering another. 

Rosa was not sleepy; she was too tired for 
that, as the expression goes, but her whole 
frame was so wearied that she felt she could sit 


tteNA-WiNGO, 'tHU Mohawk. 


137 


where she was for the whole day, if her friends 
were only about her. And sitting thus strange 
thoughts came wandering through her mind. 
She could feel no concern for the safety of Lena- 
Wingo, for he 'never seemed to be in danger, 
while she must be sensible at all times of a 
solicitude for her brother, whom she loved with 
the wealth of her sisterlj^ affection, yet her part- 
ing with him was such that she was relieved of 
all alarm on his account. But not so as regarded 
Ned Clinton. 

She recalled the words she had exchanged with 
him, wherein she learned of the depths of his 
patriotism, and of his burning desire of being of 
assistance to his country in her struggle for 
independence. She remembered the praise which 
her brother was always ready to utter in behalf 
of the young man, and she was sure that Ned 
deserved all that was said, and more, too. There 
was a fluttering belief in her own heart, and a 
strange thrill came with the knowledge, that 
Ned thought more of her than all the world 
besides. The maiden discovers when she is 
beloved, even though her admirer strives to con- 
ceal it, for with the gentle sex it is a matter of 
intuition. And so Rosa was able to recall not 


1S8 


LENA-WINGO, I'HE MOHAWK. 


the utterances merely, but the manner of the 
noble young man, which told the story more 
plainly than words could have done. 

*‘Yes, he loves me,” she murmured, as if she 
was afraid her own ears might betray her 
secret; “and could I be beloved by a nobler 
youth than he, who — ” 

She checked herself as if she were doing a 
wrong thing in thus permitting her fancy to 
take rein: and as if she would drive the sweet 
thoughts from her mind, she leaned forward, and, 
parting the bushes, gazed back over the last few 
rods she had passed. She was looking for the 
coming of the Mohawk, and when the under- 
growth was parted in the manner mentioned, 
she could see very plainly the point where she 
had leaped across the brook. At the moment 
of looking, she observed two Iroquois coming 
up the same shore directly toward her. 

A few steps brought them to the exact spot 
where she had landed and left the impression of 
her shoe. The imprint was so distinct that 
both the Iroquois saw it at the same moment, 
and stopped with an exclamation which was 
plainly heard by the terrified girl. The next 
second they moved straight toward her! 


CHAPTER XX. 


THE IROQUOIS AND THEIR CAPTIVE. 

Poor Rosa, cowering in terror in the under- 
growth, with her eyes fixed upon the two 
Iroquois, saw no possible escape. The Indians 
were walking along, their manner show- 
ing they were following the faint trail on the 
ground before them with all the skill which 
they possessed. One walked slowly forward, 
with his eyes fixed upon the ground, never 
once raising them, but advancing inch by inch, 
as the fire creeps along the fuse. While he 
confined himself strictly to this duty, his com- 
panion attended as closely to his part of the 
work. This consisted of glancing in every direc- 
tion, and scrutinizing every point in turn, 
excepting that which was under the gaze of his 
brother warrior. He wished to make sure they 
did not drift into any ambush while following 
the trail of a single fugitive. Furthermore, he 
was using his brains in speculating as to the 

139 


140 


LfiNA-WmOO, THE MOHAWK. 


meaning of this single trail which they had 
chanced upon. 

The first glimpse showed that it had been 
made by some woman, for no man was favored 
with a foot which could have left such a beau- 
teous impression as that. Thus far, too, the 
signs indicated that she was alone, though 
they were suspicious that some of her friends 
were within call. It was that phase of the 
question which they were anxious to settle 
before getting themselves into difficulty. The 
second Iroquois, who was glancing here, there, 
and everywhere, was not long in detecting the 
dense mass of undergrowth, and in noting that 
the footprints led toward it. An exclamation 
caused his companion to stop, and both looked 
straight at the hiding-place of Rosa, who, in 
turn, was peeping furtively at them from 
between the leaves, shrinking back as far as she 
could, through fear that they would detect her 
in the act. 

At that moment they were hardly a hundred 
feet distant, and she could not see the remot- 
est chance of escape. There was no way by 
which she could leave her hiding-place without 
being seen. Had she discovered them when at 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


141 


a greater distance, she might have eluded them 
for awhile, but the location of the bushes, of 
which she had availed herself rendered it impos- 
sible for her to do so now. All, then, that she 
could do was to watch and hope that they would 
turn aside and pass her by. It was idle to 
expect such a thing, for the evidences of her 
whereabouts were too distinct to be mistaken. 

The Iroquois remained talking a minute or 
two, during which time they scarcely removed 
their eyes from the clump of undergrowth. Both 
pointed in that direction several times, so there 
could be no doubt of the subject of the discus- 
sion. It is probable that the footprints which 
arrested their attention told them that they 
were in the vicinity of the hiding-place of a 
number of fugitive patriots, and that a chance 
was before them for a massacre of their own. 

The test which the leading Iroquois resorted 
to was a startling one to Rosa Minturn. With- 
out any warning, he raised his gun, and pointing it 
at the bushes where she was hidden, pulled the 
trigger. The wonder was that she was not 
killed, for she was not given time to attempt to 
evade the bullet. As it was, it clipped the 


142 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


leaves close to her cheek, spending itself in the 
wood behind her. 

The precise meaning of the challenge passed 
the comprehension of Rosa Minturn, but she 
hoped it would be accepted by the Iroquois as 
proof that no one was concealed in the under- 
growth toward which the trail led. The war- 
riors could not be guilty of such an oversight, 
however. After the marksman had reloaded his 
piece, the two resumed their maneuvering, 
though in a way that deceived the girl for a 
time into the belief that they had abandoned 
the pursuit, and she was in no danger of fur- 
ther molestation from them. The redskin who 
had fired the shot which missed Rosa by such a 
narrow chance, suddenly turned, leaped across 
the stream, and vanished in the wood on the 
other side. The second Iroquois took an oppo- 
site course, passing from sight immediately after. 

“That looks as if they had made up their 
minds that no person is left alive in this place, 
and they have gone off on other business. If 
they will stay a while, they will give Lena-Wingo 
time to come up and meet me.” 

The fact that the redskins acted so strangely 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


143 


prevented Rosa from feeling sure that all danger 
had passed. 

“They wouldn’t have separated and gone on 
in different directions if they were through with 
me. They came together, and they would have 
left together, if all is right, which I fear is not 
the case.” 

That being her conclusion, it struck her that 
she ought not to stay where she was and allow 
them to come down and take her captive when- 
ever ready to do so. Once again she parted the 
bushes in front, this time doing it so as to gain 
a view of the wood in every direction, her pur- 
pose being to satisfy herself, if she could, that 
she was free to make a change of situation. The 
survey was satisfactory, and, sensible of the 
value of time, she cautiously withdrew from 
the undergrowth which had served as a tem- 
porary screen, and began a stealthy movement 
leading opposite to that which she was follow- 
ing at the time she sought the refuge. In other 
words, she continued the course that was inter- 
rupted by her pause for rest. 

In making this flight, she did her utmost to 
hide her trail from the Iroquois, provided they 
returned to the spot and renewed the search for her. 


144 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


For one who moved as lightly as she it would 
seem that this was not difficult, and when she 
occasionally glanced back to test the success of 
the essay, she was hopeful she was succeeding 
so well that the Indians would be baffled if 
they attempted to track her from her place of 
concealment. Even though she took such extraor- 
dinary pains to hide her footsteps, it is ques- 
tionable whether she would have succeeded alto- 
gether; for when an Indian accustomed to trail- 
ing a foe sets about dogging him, it is almost 
as hard to throw him off as it is to baffle a 
bloodhound. 

It is probable that the most that Rosa could 
have done, under favorable circumstances, would 
have been to compel her enemies to make such 
diligent search that the capture would have 
been delayed long enough to allow the Mohawk 
to take a hand in the proceedings. But the 
situation was against the fair fugitive from the 
start. The Iroquois knew that some one was 
within the undergrowth, and they did not mean 
to give whomsoever it might be a chance to 
elude them. Though they were out of sight 
themselves, they were near at hand, and they 
kept the hiding-place under close scrutiny, so 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


145 


that when Rosa stole forth, believing she had a 
chance to get away, both saw her. It only 
remained to learn whether she left any behind 
her, and that was a brief and easy task. That 
accomplished they followed after the girl. Just 
as she was beginning to breathe freely, she was 
terrified to observe one of the warriors directly 
before her. With a gasp of fear she turned to 
flee when she found herself face to face with the 
second Iroquois. She was a captive at last. 


CHAPTER XXL 


GOING TOWARD CAMP. 

When the girl saw she was doomed to fall 
into the hands of the two Indians, she accepted 
her fate with a dignity and self-possession 
which would have failed many older persons 
under similar circumstances. She did not scream 
or faint, or make any useless struggles, when it 
was evident that nothing was to be gained by 
that course. She stood still, and simply looked 
at the redmen as they came to her with that 
cat-like tread which they would have used 
had they been stealing upon a foe whom 
they held in mortal fear. 

The girl hardly supposed they would inflict 
any violence or injury, for she believed them to 
be a part of the company brought over by 
Colonel Butler, and that they had been search- 
ing the woods for hours in quest of her and her 
companions. If they gained the chance she 
would have thought it probable they would 
shoot Ned or Jo or Lena-Wingo; but they were 

146 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


147 


instructed, as she well knew, to bring her in as 
prisoner. 

One of them reached forward and seized her 
arm with no very gentle grip, while he leaned 
his head over and glared in her face with such 
a ferocious expression that she drew back, as 
she would have done from the presence of a 
wild beast. At this the other warrior said 
something which resulted in the savage releasing 
his hold. Rosa accepted this as proof that the 
two were searching the forest for no other pur- 
pose than to find and take her to Colonel 
Butler. Such being the case, the Tory leader 
would look with disfavor upon any rudeness on 
the part of those entrusted with bringing her in. 

“What doing here?” asked the Iroquois, who 
had given her arm a pinch, speaking in as intel- 
ligible English as Lena-Wingo was in the habit 
of employing. 

“I was trying to get away from you,” was 
the truthful answer of Rosa. 

“Where other pale faces?” continued the 
savage. 

“They are not here, but I hope they are close 
by,” was the response of the captive, who therein 


148 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


came as near a falsehood as her conscience 
would permit. 

'‘How close by?” continued the redskin, look- 
ing about him, as if he expected the appearance 
of his foes. 

“I was expecting Lena-Wingo, the Mohawk, 
when you came; I do not understand why he is 
so long coming.” 

And it was Rosa’s turn to peer around, as if 
she was sure the dusky scout was near. The 
mention of that dreaded name caused a sensa- 
tion on the part of the two Iroquois. They 
looked at each other, muttering something in 
their own tongue, and then glanced at different 
points of the compass, as if they were not in 
the most pleasant situation of their lives. 

It was plain that had the Mohawk come 
down upon them at that juncture, they would 
have taken to their heels, and yielded up their 
prisoner without a struggle. Rosa was not 
clear in her own mind whether it was the safe 
thing to appeal to this means or not. If the 
captors believed they were in peril from the 
dreaded Mohawk, they might tomahawk her 
and get away as fast as they knew how. But 
it looked as if there was no danger of that, for^ 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


149 


judging from their manner, they were actually 
discussing the question whether it was not the 
best thing for them to abandon her and return 
to the main body. 

Whatever their decision, it must have been 
manifest that it was not a prudent thing for 
them to stay where they were, w^hen the captive 
was looking for the coming of Lena-Wingo 
every moment. The consultation between the 
couple lasted but a moment or two, when they 
decided what should be done. 

“Come ’long!” said the one who had acted 
as spokesman thus far — “come ’long — we go 
’way from here.” 

This was bad news to Rosa, who supposed 
their intention was to take her to the camp 
where Colonel Butler was awaiting them. 

“Where can Lena-Wingo be all this time?” 
she groaned in spirit, as she turned to obey the 
command of the savage. “He is so fleet of 
foot that he ought to have found me long ago; 
if he should come now, how quickly these two 
would flee and leave me alone! But, alas! he 
will be too late! ” 

And she looked again in the direction whence 
she believed he would appear — if he should 


160 


LENA-WINGO, "THE MOHAWR. 


appear at all! But there were no signs of the 
one whom she now desired to see above all others. 
On that beautiful summer morning the woods 
were as still as if untrodden by the foot of man 
or animal. Nowhere was there to be seen that 
stealthy parting of the bushes, and the thrust- 
ing forward of the painted visage, by which the 
Mohawk generally announced his coming to his 
friends. 

The captors noted the look of the captive, 
and, as may be supposed, it served to make 
them the more anxious to leave the spot as 
soon as possible. They knew of the honor and 
the reward awaiting those who should take to 
Colonel Butler the maiden upon whom he had 
set his heart, and they were as desirous as two 
warriors of their race could be to succeed. They 
were ready to run great risk, but were not 
quite willing to engage in a hand-to-hand strug- 
gle with the great Mohawk scout with the 
certainty of the result. 

“Walk fast!” said one of the captors, as Rosa 
started off at a deliberate pace — “walk fast — 
we in hurry.” 

She was anxious to lose as much time as 
possible, for she had everything to gain by 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


151 


doing so, while the redskins had everything to 
lose. So long as she could delay the passage to 
the camp, so much greater would be the likeli- 
hood of the Mohawk coming up and interfering 
before the destination was reached. In the 
latter contingency, the difficulty of her rescue by 
Lena-Wingo would be increased tenfold. Indeed, 
she ‘feared that it would be rendered impossible, 
since with the knowledge which the Tories and 
Iroquois possessed of the skill and prowess of 
the Mohawk, they would take every precaution 
against a rescue by him of the maiden for whom 
all these labors were undertaken, and for whose 
sake the pursuers had encountered every degree 
of peril, and in some cases death itself. 

Rosa, therefore, made a feint of obeying the 
rude command of her captor. But she had taken 
only a step or two when she purposely dropped 
back into a slower rate than before. 


CHAPTER XXIL 


SAVAGES. 

The Iroquois did not show a willingness to 
permit their captive to do as she wished in ‘this 
respect. 

“Go fast!” commanded the warrior, in a voice 
so loud and angry that she started and hastened 
to obey. 

She feared it was dangerous to presume on 
the forbearance of her captors; but the tempta- 
tion to delay was so strong, where there was 
so much at stake, that she showed slight 
rebellion. One of the savages was in advance 
and the other one walked behind her. She was 
thus guarded in as effectual a manner as possible. 
Every few steps she looked furtively around, 
hoping against hope for the appearance of her 
' Mohawk friend. Seeing him not, she began 
lagging again, her purpose being to make the 
savages think she was too weary to move at a 
faster rate. 

“Walk faster, or I kill!’' 

15 2 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


153 


The command, coming in the gruffest of voices 
from the one behind her, was enough to startle 
her to whom it was addressed; but the order 
was accompanied by a blow upon the delicate 
shoulder that almost struck the girl to the earth ! 
Though the indignity was delivered with the 
open hand, its cruel force sent a thrill of pain 
throughout her whole system — the shock intensi- 
fied by the reflection that she had been subjected 
to the indignity for the first time in her life. It 
filled her with such horror and dread that all 
disposition to trespass on the indulgence of the 
Iroquois departed. She saw in them only a 
couple of miscreants, who would be glad of an 
excuse to murder her, just as two of their race 
had done in the case of the beautiful Miss 
MacCrea, the year before. 

She staggered for a moment under the blow, 
but by a strong effort of the will saved herself 
from falling. At the same time something of 
her old pride came to her, and she resolved that 
they should witness no sign of suffering and 
dismay on her part, even though they turned 
and buried their tomahawks in her brain. The 
blow must have been heard by the Indian in 
advance, but he showed his indifference by 


154 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


never stopping or looking behind him! With 
the consciousness of her peril from these savages, 
came a dull despair which made further effort 
on her part distasteful. It was plain she could 
do nothing for herself, and only trust to 
Heaven, which had never deserted her in her 
extremity. 

The captors followed the course of the brook 
which was the scene of her capture until several 
hundred yards from their starting point. 
Nothing as yet met the eye of the girl by which 
she could gain an idea of the particular part of 
the forest in which they were. A little distance 
further, however, when they left the stream, 
they passed a large oak, that had been shivered 
some time before by a bolt of lightning. 

The captive recognized the spot as having 
been used as a camp during the preceding sum- 
mer, when she was on one of her hunting excur- 
sions with Lena-Wingo. As the Iroquois passed 
within a few feet of it, she identified it fully. 
The surprise which it occasioned caused her to 
forget for the time the indignity at the hands of 
the brutal captors. The sight of the riven oak 
proved she was at that moment all of two 
miles from the cavern and there was no telling 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


155 


how much further she had wandered during the 
night. It became plain to her why the Mohawk 
was nowhere to be seen, even after the sun was 
well up in the sky. At the least, he was obliged 
to trail her for three Or four miles — her wander- 
ings being such that the only way for him to 
find her was by using her footprints as his 
guide. 

In following a person or party who are 
making for some definite point, it not infre- 
quently happens that the pursuer is able to 
cross the trail from place to place, when the 
course is circuitous, and thus gain a great deal 
in time and distance. In the present instance 
nothing of the kind was possible, for the reason 
that when the lost one knew not where she 
was going herself, it was out of the question 
for her follower to guess at what point she 
was likely to bring up. This was the cause of 
the delay in Lena-Wingo showing himself, even 
when putting forth all his skill. 

No halt was made at the tree mentioned, 
though a hesitation on the part of her captors 
led Rosa to hope they would make a halt. But 
for the blow received from the Iroquois, she 
would have resorted to more than one artifice 


156 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


to delay the journey toward the Tory camp, 
and there is little doubt that she would have 
accomplished something; but, as we have 
already shown, she had given over all such 
strategy to help herself. She was sure that the 
Indians were going toward the river, which, of 
course, must be in the direction of the camp 
where Colonel Butler was awaiting her coming. 

At no great distance from the oak mentioned, 
the little party halted near a spring which 
bubbled from beneath a black rock. This, too, 
was a well remembered landmark, and Rosa 
recalled the time when she had sat there for more 
than an hour, listening to Lena-Wingo, while he 
told, in his broken way, how he had slain a 
great bear that attacked him, when only a 
small boy, near the lodge of his father. She 
remembered, too, that on the same occasion 
she placed a small tin-cup beneath the root of 
a tree near by, so that it would be available 
whenever they passed that way again. 

The present day was warm and sultry, and she 
felt the need of a drink, as doubtless did the 
Iroquois. Before the latter could kneel down to 
help themselves, one after another, she ran to 
the tree and brought out the little cup. The 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


157 


savages looked wonderingly to see what she 
was doing, and showed surprise when she held 
the utensil in her hand. It seemed to her that 
she might do something to win the good-will of 
the captors, and she did a graceful thing. 

Stooping down, she filled the cup with cold 
water, and stepping to the Indian who had 
struck her the cruel blow, offered it to him. 
The savage — as he was in every sense — took the 
cup from her, and then deliberately threw it, 
with the contents, in her face! At this, he and 
his companion broke into a loud laugh, as 
though it was the most humorous thing they 
had ever known. 

Poor Rosa did not lose her dignity, even under 
so trying an ordeal. She said never a word, 
and though her face flushed with anger, yet she 
held her peace. She drew her handkerchief 
from her dress, and quietly wiped the water 
away as it trickled down her countenance. 
Then she stooped down, picked up the cup, filled 
it again from the spring, and quenched her own 
thirst. 

The Indians grinned for several minutes, and 
then they too satisfied their thirst by applying 
their n^ouths to the fluid, just as swine do when 


158 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


they drink. Rosa, after she was through with 
the cup, returned it to its place beneath the 
root, as though nothing had happened. 

“Come— walk fast,” said the captor who had 
treated her so brutally from the first. 

No reply was given to the savage, except to 
imply by her action that she was ready to do 
their bidding. The journey was resumed and 
continued as before, the captive maintaining a 
pace that secured her against all danger of any 
more rudeness from the warriors. 

The day was advancing and the girl was sure 
that they were approaching the camp which she 
dreaded above everything else, when all at once 
the captors halted as if by common impulse. 
They had heard a sharp whistle from the woods 
at their left. Rosa caught the same sound, and 
a thrill of hope went through her at the thought 
that the Mohawk had arrived upon the scene 
and short, sharp and decisive work was at 
hand. A few seconds more would make known 
the truth. 


CHAPTER XXIIL 


IS HE A FRIEND ? 

It was hard to tell from the actions of the 
Iroquois whether they were alarmed at the sig- 
nal which thus fell upon their ears. Rosa 
thought they were scared, because they made no 
answer to it, but instantly stopped and began 
talking with each other in low voices. She 
tried to hide her own excitement, but it was 
difficult to do so, when roused from such a depth 
of despair to such a height of hope. 

She recognized the point from which the sig- 
nal came, and she turned her eyes in that direc- 
tion with a longing, yearning expression hard 
to imagine. 

Before the strange Indians came in sight, they 
repeated the call, and with no little dismay Rosa 
heard her captives reply to it. This did not 
look as if they were enemies, though it will be 
understood by the reader who recalls a similar 
maneuver which the Mohawk executed at the 
time he secured the release of Ned Clinton, that 

159 


160 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


the grounds on which the captive based her 
fears might be causeless. It was well, perhaps, 
that such was the case, for it prepared her, in a 
measure, for the bitter disappointment which 
almost immediately succeeded. 

She was gazing at the point where the others 
were expected, when they presented themselves. 
It was as she dreaded. They were Iroquois, 
and they numbered two — the same as those who 
held her in custody. They were like the score, 
more or less, that were still ranging the woods 
in quest of the fugitives. Searching here and 
there, without any marked success, they now 
and then signaled to their friends to learn how 
they were making out. The last time they 
indulged in the call, they happened to be close 
enough to attract the notice of the couple who 
were the custodians of the all important captive. 

As the strangers united with the fortunate 
brace of wretches, they showed no little pleasure 
in finding that their brother warriors had 
secured the prize. They looked at her with 
great curiosity, as if she were some strange 
animal, the like of which they had never seen 
before. One of the warriors was a young man, 
or “buck,” and his actions showed that he wqs 


LENA'WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


161 


struck with admiration of the beauty of the 
captive. Not being polite enough to be circum- 
spect in his sentiments, he succeeded in making 
himself obnoxious in the highest degree to the 
object of his attention. 

Walking directly up in front of her, he folded 
his arms and stared into the face of the blushing 
girl. His gaze was so fixed and penetrating 
that it was more than Rosa could stand, and 
she turned her back upon him. The Indian 
deliberately walked around so as to face her 
again and continued his attention. 

She was afraid to anger him, as she could not 
forget the lesson given by one of the other 
warriors, and yet her modesty led her to turn 
her back once more. The savage angrily caught 
hold of her arm, uttering an exclamation in his 
own tongue. The poor captive was at a loss 
what to do, for the other warriors appeared to 
enjoy her torture. Her embarrassment was 
painful, but, true to the innate modesty of her 
nature, she turned again when she saw the 
action of her persecutor, at the same time free- 
ing her arm from his grasp. 

Her admirer probably would have used greater 

violence at being baffled in this manner, and 
11 


162 LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 

Rosa covered her face with her hands, determined 
that he should not be gratified in his brutal 
attention. At the same moment her feelings 
obtained the mastery and she broke into a fit 
of sobbing. 

Her persecutor would have been still more rude, 
but an interference came from a quarter where 
it was least expected. The other Indian who 
had just joined the party stepped forward at 
this juncture, and, catching the arm of the 
young brute in his own powerful grip, with one 
wrench threw him a dozen feet away. 

Young blood is hot, and not the less so in a 
young Indian. The discomfited warrior sprang 
up from the ground, and, drawing his knife, 
replied to the angry exclamation of the older 
one with one still more wrathful. At the same 
time he made a rush upon the Iroquois who had 
dared to insult him in that manner. But the 
fool had undertaken a task which would have 
been a hard one for Lena-Wingo himself. Among 
the Six Nations there was none who was capa- 
ble of striking to the earth this particular 
warrior. 

As the assailant charged upon him, the others 
fell back so as to clear the way, for they saw 











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THE INFURIATED BUCK "■ " GRASPED THE HAET OF HIS 

TOMAHAWK. — Page 165. 




LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


165 


that neither was in a mood for interference, no 
matter from what quarter. The young brave 
made a vicious pass with his knife, which was 
avoided with ease by the older one, who, besides 
escaping harm, gained the chance to bury his 
own weapon to the hilt in the breast of his 
audacious assailant. But, instead of doing so, 
he struck such a blow that he knocked the 
knife from his hand, and sent it spinning twenty 
feet away. This left the latter without any 
weapon except his tomahawk, he having set 
down his rifle at the time he advanced upon 
Rosa Minturn. 

Instead of appreciating the mercy shown him 
by his master, the infuriated buck lost command 
of himself, and grasped the haft of his toma- 
hawk. At this instant Rosa learned that some- 
thing unusual was going on. She subdued her 
emotion enough to look up and witness the 
strange proceedings. She was just in time to 
see her persecutor leap back several feet so as 
to give him free swing as he hurled his weapon. 

While he was thus engaged the elder one 
stood as immobile as a tree, one hand resting 
on the knife in his girdle, and the other on the 
tomahawk, although he did not draw either. 


166 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


Nothing could restrain the furious enemy, who 
circled his keen instrument aloft for an instant. 
Then with one quick sweep, he sent it whirling 
from his hand straight at the brain of the other. 

The latter dropped his head with the celerity 
of lightning itself and the whizzing tomahawk 
sped harmlessly by and buried itself in the 
ground beyond. Before the thrower could com- 
prehend that he had missed his aim, the Indian 
made one leap that placed him directly before 
him. Then, ere he could retreat, he dealt him a 
blow with his naked fist that stretched him as 
one dead upon the ground. But he was not 
killed, and was sure to revive in the course of 
a few minutes, when it might be reasonably 
supposed that he would conclude he had under- 
taken rather too large a contract to fulfill. 

His conquerer turned calmly away from his 
fallen foe and began talking to the others as 
though nothing unusual had taken place. He 
probably explained to them that Colonel Butler 
would be mueh displeased if he should hear 
from the lips of the eaptive that she had been 
ill-used by any of the warriors. He had inter- 
fered more for the sake of the brave himself, 
than for the helpless captive. The action of 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 1 G? 

this savage in stepping in at the critical 
moment naturally drew the attention of Rosa 
Minturn to him. 

The moment she looked fairly at him, she 
was certain that somewhere, and at some time 
before the present, she had seen him, or some 
one who resembled him so closely that the dif- 
ference could not be distinguished. She set her- 
self to work to recall the occasion, but it 
proved a more difficult task than she imagined. 
During the last few days she had been called 
upon to confront a great many more Indians 
than was pleasant, and more than she hoped 
ever to see again. She concluded that he must 
have been one of them, although it was a puz- 
zle why his features and general appearance 
should wear so familiar an appearance. 

At last the truth flashed upon her. He was the 
same warrior who had discovered her and Lena- 
Wingo when they were hiding near Forty Fort, 
and had passed them as though he saw them 
not! 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


MORE AN ENEMY THAN A FRIEND. 

This was another illustration of the result 
that frequently flows from an act of disinterested 
friendship. At sometime or other Lena-Wingo 
had done some kindness for the Iroquois warrior. 
When the former was stealing from the vicinity 
of Forty Fort with Rosa Minturn, and when 
his pursuers crowded around so closely that he 
was forced to seek concealment with her in the 
wood, they were discovered in their hiding-place 
by this Indian, who w’as one of those hunting 
for the fugitives. It is not necessary to tell 
again how skillfully he not only drew away 
from the spot, but also drew others who were 
working toward the same hiding-place, thus 
saving the couple when there was scarcely any 
hope for them. 

A short time afterward, this warrior, while 

approaching Ned Clinton, was seized by the 
168 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


169 


Mohawk, who detected his identity just in time 
to spare him. And now when the Iroquois 
moved away from that neighborhood, and con- 
tinued his search for the girl with as much per- 
sistence as any of his tribe, he had interfered to 
prevent the captive being insulted by one of his 
own race. 

It is a curious characteristic of the brave of 
whom we are speaking, that what he did was 
through no pity for the maiden, but he knew the 
girl was a favorite of Lena-Wingo, who would 
resent any rudeness to her, no matter from 
what quarter it came. And that was the sole 
reason why he interfered in the manner described. 
But for the Mohawk he would have stood 
calmly by and seen her persecuted even unto 
death itself! 

Alter such a decided favor, Rosa could not 
but look upon the elder Indian with gratitude. 
She was on the point of going up to him and 
telling as best she could how thankful she was, 
when a diversion occurred, caused by the recov- 
ery of the young warrior who had received a 
drubbing at the hands of the elder. He recalled 
his senses almost as quickly as he had lost them, 
and rose to his feet like one just aroused from 


170 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


slumber. His conquerer looked keenly at him, 
as if to read his intentions, but one glance was 
enough. All the “fight” was knocked out of 
the ambitious fledgling and he must have con- 
cluded that the next time he tried his hand it 
would be upon another. 

After bestowing the single glance, the elder 
turned his side toward the young brave, and 
continued talking as before. The vanquished 
buck walked to the bushes where his knife 
landed, after being knocked from his grasp, and, 
picking it up, shoved it back in place without 
a word. Then he did the same with his toma- 
hawk. 

And then he stood motionless and dumb, 
ready for any service that might be required of 
him, provided it was not a repetition of the 
task he had just signally failed in performing. 
Under the war-paint covering his face were the 
signs of the sledge-hammer-like blow he had 
received from the hands of his master. 

When the recipient of the compliment looked 
upon her, it may be doubted whether he admired 
her as fully as before. There was something 
almost laughable in the looks which the two — 
the girl and her former admirer — gave each 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


171 


other. He doubtless considered her the author 
of his humiliation, and his admiration was 
turned to the gall of bitterness and hatred. 
She abhorred him, and was glad he had received 
the punishment he earned. But it was a dan- 
gerous thing to indulge in her feeling of triumph, 
,and through fear of inciting him to some sud- 
den outbreak of anger, she withdrew her gaze 
and looked toward him who had befriended her 
for the sake of Lena-Wingo, the Mohawk. 

There was something going on which was of 
deep interest to the four Indians; for even the 
sullen buck who had been knocked senseless to 
the earth listened but a moment to the words 
uttered by the other three, when he drew’ near 
and took a prominent part in what was said. 
Rosa would have given much could she have 
understood what was uttered, for she knew it 
concerned her; but as everything was spoken 
in the Indian tongue, she comprehended not a 
word. 

The danger was that the captive was likely 
to misunderstand the one thing the elder w' ar- 
dor had done in her service. Indeed it was 
hardly possible for her to look upon it in any 
other light than an act of friendship, dictated 


172 


IvENA-WiNGO, THE MOHAWK. 


by a sense of pity for her distress at the hands 
of an unfeeling villain. 

“He is the master of them all/’ she said to 
herself, “and if he wants me to go free, why 
don’t he insist upon it? Nobody would dare say 
him nay. If I were in the place of that one he 
struck down I wouldn’t have anything to say in 
this case.” 

At any rate, whatever it was about, it was 
certainly bringing more delay, which was a 
godsend, when there was every reason to 
believe the Mohawk was pressing forward upon 
the trail. She observed that the elder Indian 
who occupied the leading part in her thoughts 
and hopes was looked upon by the others as 
somewhat of a commander, and his decision 
was accepted in the controversy which boiled 
up for awhile. That being evident to a mere 
looker-on like her, it served to increase her hope 
that some good to her was likely to flow there- 
from. 

Her heart fluttered with a still deeper hope, 
when the warrior, turning his broad back upon 
the rest, walked to where she stood, as if with 
the purpose of saying something. She thought 
it wise to anticipate him. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


173 


“Thank you, thank you — you are my good 
friend! 

To her dismay he took no notice of her, but 
with a frowning, forbidding look he said: 

“Come — go — come — go! ” 

It was plain that his knowledge of the English 
tongue was more limited than that of the buck 
who had played the part of spokesman up to 
this time. Her appearance must have shown 
she was not sure of his precise meaning, for the 
savage referred to came forward at this juncture 
and joined them. 

“He say you must go with us — walk fast — 
must not go slow — he get mad — kill you.“ 

This was dashing cold water upon her hopes, 
and she stood like one dazed by the unexpected 
words. It was strange to her that pains should 
be taken to repeat this command, which she 
had been acting upon from the first. She looked 
at the one who had befriended her, but there 
was no hope in his face. She bowed her head 
and said: 

“I will go with you.” 

“Go on — don’t walk slow!” 

At the same time the warrior pointed to the 
right, intimating the course she was to take, 


174 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


and she obeyed as promptly as if she heard a 
command from her own father. And still no 
sign of Lena-Wingo, when she once more looked 
wearily and despairingly around in the wood. 
Within the next few seconds the party were 
threading their way through the forest, the 
captive surrounded by her unfeeling captors. 
And only a few more minutes and a few more 
rods and the encampment was reached, where 
Colonel Butler and the majority of the Iroquois 
were awaiting her arrival ! 


CHAPTER XXV. 


THE HOSTILE CAMP. 

The camp to which Rosa Minturn was con- 
ducted as a captive was the one where Ned 
Clinton had been held as a prisoner, condemned 
to death, and from which he had made the 
escape already described. It was a strange 
coincidence that at the moment the four Indians 
arrived with their captive Colonel Butler was 
sitting on the same fallen tree where he was 
when we last saw him, and he was smoking the 
same pipe. He sat with his back toward the 
arrivals, and did not look up for several minutes 
after they entered the camp. 

The Iroquois were coming and going so con- 
tinually that he supposed these to be some of 
them, without any tidings worth the trouble of 
turning about and shifting his seat. The truth 
of the matter was, the Tory leader had nearly 
reached the conclusion that the time had come 
for him to recross the Susquehanna and abandon 
this enterprise. It angered him to do so, but 
there were considerations compelling his notice 

175 


176 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


which forbade him longer to indulge in this 
escapade which w^as imperiling the safety of his 
whole force. He had been several days in the 
Wyoming valley, and the news of the defeat and 
massacre had traveled a long distance by that 
time. His cousin, Colonel Zebulon Butler, suc- 
ceeded in making his escape on the day of the 
battle. There was little doubt in the mind of 
the Tory that he had carried the news to 
leading American officers, many of whom had 
friends and relatives in the valley, and nothing 
was more probable, as he viewed it, than that 
troops w'ould be in the neighborhood within a 
short time. It would be a most unfortunate 
situation for the British and Tories, if caught 
with their leader on the other side the river, 
engaged in an attempt to capture a young lady 
who was fleeing to Wilkesbarre for protection. 

As the colonel reflected he decided that no 
matter how grievously his feelings were 
wounded, he must return to Forty Fort that 
very day. He had a haunting fear that he had 
staid away too long already, and serious com- 
plications were arising among the forces he left 
across the river. Indians had been passing 
back and forth and the last tidings were that 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


177 


everything was quiet, with no signs of the 
approach of the enemy from any quarter. 
But the officer’s experience told him the impru- 
dence of remaining where he was. Much as he 
hated to give up the charming little patriot, he 
bowed to the necessity, and the word had been 
given to make ready to return to the other side 
of the stream, not on that day merely, but on 
that forenoon, the half of which was now gone. 
Thus it will be seen that the capture of Rosa 
Minturn was at the very nick of time for the 
enemy. Had she been able to keep out of the 
way of the Indians for a little while longer, 
all danger would have been gone. 

The savages were on their return to camp, in 
obedience to the order given them in the morn- 
ing when they went forth. They had been 
coming in for an hour, and Colonel Butler, when 
he heard the slight confusion of their arrival, 
took it to be the same as attended the many 
others that morning. But the continuance of 
the bustle and one or two exclamations fell 
upon his ear, causing him to take the pipe from 
his mouth and look up. Could it be possible? 
Ay. There was the very one for whose posses- 


12 


178 


LENA-WINGG, THE MOHAWK. 


sion he had risked so much, standing before 
him. 

The colonel stared a minute or so like one 
who was unable to understand what he saw. 
Then realizing the amazing good fortune which 
had attended his efforts, and understanding the 
requirements of the occasion, he threw his pipe 
aside, rose from the log, and walked to where 
she stood awaiting her fate. 

Good-morning, Miss Minturn,” he said, with 
the politeness of a cavalier; “I am glad to see 
you again, after your abrupt departure from 
yoffr home. I hardly expected you would go 
without so much as saying good-bye to me.’’ 

He paused as if for an answer, but she choose 
to hold her peace. She was the picture of meek- 
ness and helplessness. When she first entered 
camp, her arrival created a considerable stir, 
and there was a general scrutiny of her by the 
Indians, all of whom were able to appreciate 
the extreme beauty of the captive. This scru- 
tiny continued for a few minutes after they saw 
the colonel walk forward and address her. By 
that time, however, it was apparent to all that 
their attentions were not agreeable to the 
leader, and they turned to something else. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


179 


There were a few preparations to make before 
they could start for the other bank, and some 
needed their breakfast before going. 

Thus it was that all managed to find some- 
thing to engage their attention, so that Colonel 
Butler was left free and undivSturbed to pay his 
respects to the lady who stood before him. 
Waiting a moment for her to answer, and 
seeing she had no intention of doing so, he 
added : 

“You have had a long walk; you must be 
tired.^’ 

“So I am,’* she said, concluding she could gain 
nothing by sullen silence. 

“I am sorry to hear it, and more sorry that 
I cannot offer you better comforts, but here is a 
tree which I find much better than standing on 
my feet all the time. Will you accept it?” 

And he bowed and extended his hand toward 
the prostrate trunk, with the smirk and grin of 
a gallant. Rosa was fatigued, and hardly able 
to keep her feet any longer. With an attempt 
to hide her weariness, she walked toward the 
fallen tree and sat down. 

“Will you allow me to share it?” And with 
a greater smirk and grin than ever, he sat 


180 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


down within a foot or so of where she was, . 
glancing at her as he did so, as if unwilling to 
take such a liberty without her permission. 

She did not deign to notice him, but as she 
failed to forbid him, he accepted silence as 
assent, and sank down with as much hesitation 
as if he feared he was committing a crime. 

“Perhaps you have not breakfasted?” he 
continued, in the same insinuating manner. 

Never did Rosa regret anything more than 
that she had fasted so long. But she was in 
great need of food, her long wanderings through 
the night having given her an appetite that 
rose superior to the depression caused by her 
captivity. When she was striving to keep this 
longing for food in subjection, the odor of the 
broiling meat reached her, and she was con- 
quered . 

“I have had nothing to eat since yesterda}^ 
and if you can afford me some food I shall be 
grateful.” 

The colonel sprang up as suddenly as if a bee 
had stung him, and dashing to where the meat 
was cooking, lost no time in selecting the best 
portion. This was placed upon some broad 
leaves which he had learned to use for such pur- 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


181 


poses, and then carried to where Rosa was sit- 
ting. He placed it on the log beside her, and 
handed a hunting-knife to her, repeatedly apolo- 
gizing for the meagre conveniences at his dis- 
posal when ladies honored him with a visit. 

“But you are the daughter of a settler, and 
have learned some of the privations that people 
in this part of the world are subject to; you 
will therefore excuse us.“ 

Rosa nodded her head, and gave attention to 
the meal before her, considering the^ gesture suf- 
ficient acknowledgment of the apology. 


CHAPTER XXVI. 


FEMININE DIPLOMACY. 

In Spite of the disheartening situation in 
which Rosa found herself, she managed to make 
a most substantial meal. She had recovered 
from the first depressing shock of her capture, 
and when she finished her meal, she was 
more herself than at any time since becoming 
lost in the woods. She was able to look upon 
her situation without the bewilderment and 
daze that had obscured her faculties for hours 
before while wandering through the forest. 

While engaged with her repast, her faculties 

were busy, and she tried to fix upon some 

scheme by which she could help the Mohawk in 

his effort to rescue her. She knew Lena-Wingo 

would do everything in his power to extricate 

her from her predicament. He had failed to 

appear for the reason that he was unable to 

trail her rapidly enough. But he would be 

there within an hour or two at the most, and 

the question, therefore, was as to how she 
182 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


183 


could act in concert with him. It was plain 
that the best thing she could do would be to 
delay the return across the Susquehanna as 
long as possible, for so long as they remained 
on this side of the river, so long would the 
Mohawk be at liberty to exercise his peculiar 
prowess and skill. 

The Indians and Tories were scattered on 
every side the fort, and it would be almost 
impossible for the Mohawk, with all his won- 
derful strategy, to turn in any direction with 
his charge without incurring the capture of 
both. If by any means she could keep Colonel 
Butler and his allies on the shore until night, 
she was confident that the Mohawk would 
retake her in spite of all they could do to pre- 
vent. This delay was hardly to be expected, 
however, since the Tory would be sure to sus- 
pect her motive, and would be as anxious to 
leave as she was to remain. 

The captive took that view of it, and was 
wise enough to conclude there was little to 
hope for in that direction. As Lena-Wingo 
must be the chief actor in all the attempts looking 
to her rescue, the utmost she could do was to 
help him by the plan mentioned— -that of delay- 


184 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


iiig the return home. She was conscious, too, 
of the pride which the Mohawk felt in the suc- 
cess of his plan. 

He had declared that Rosa should be delivered 
within Wilkesbarre in spite of all Colonel Butler 
and the Iroquois could do to prevent it. The 
Mohawk would risk his life a hundred times to 
carry out this boast, aside from his affection for 
the girl herself. By the time, therefore, the meal 
was disposed of, Rosa had decided what she 
should do. 

With an affectation of gallantry, which would 
have been graceful if genuine, Colonel Butler 
directed his attention elsewhere while his guest 
was engaged with her food. When she had 
finished, he politely inquired whether she would 
not be persuaded to accept more, but she 
declined. Instead of reproaching the officer for 
his persistent persecution of her, she concluded 
to use the power she undoubtedly possessed 
over him by avoiding so long as possible any 
reference that could stir his anger. She knew 
that he was fully resolved on taking her away 
from the valley with him, a contingency which 
she viewed with a shudder. With this knowl- 
edge she was able to dissemble her dislike of the 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


185 


man before her, and to meet his efforts to 
conciliate her in something of the same spirit. 

“How is it that you come to the camp 
alone?** asked the colonel, who had received no 
account of the manner in which she had been 
taken prisoner. 

“I became lost from the others last night, and 
while hunting my way back, was found by the 
Indians who brought me to you.** 

“And the Mohawk and the two young men 
were not with you at the time?** 

“Had thej' been. Colonel Butler, I should not 
have been here,’* she replied, with a politeness 
which brought a flush to his face. 

“Perhaps not,** he answered. “But we will 
not dispute that point, as neither of us can be 
certain of how it would have gone, when no 
such meeting took place.** 

The Tory looked around, and noted that the 
Indians were losing no time in their preparations 
to leave. Then he calmly relit his pipe, as if with 
an instinctive warning that he would need its 
soothing influence in the stormy interview that 
was impending. 

“Is your brother well?** he asked, the next 
minute. 


186 


I.ENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


“He was when I last saw him.” 

“When was that?” 

“Last night.” 

“And his friend — ^young Clinton, I believe he is 
called — I hope he is also well.” 

“I have the same answer to make as before.” 

“Then you are not aware that he has met 
with quite an adventure?” 

“No. What was it?” 

This was asked with such a sudden flash of 
interest, that the colonel grasped the truth at 
once. He showed no evidence of the storm of 
jealously that was in his breast, and the cha- 
grin over the reflection that this young and 
favored man, after being completely in his power, 
was free again. 

“You seem interested in him,” he remarked, 
with a sneer which he could not wholly con- 
ceal. 

The certainty of his meaning caused the face 
of the maiden to flush crimson. But she parried 
it as best she could. 

“He has been a friend since childhood, and 
why should I not be interested in him?” 

“I look upon him as only a boy, though I 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


187 


have no doubt he fills a large place in your 
eyes.” 

“ What was the adventure of which you 
spoke ? ” 

“He was a prisoner of ours last night.” 

“Is it possible?” she exclaimed, starting at 
this confirmation of the fears that had made 
her urge her brother to go in search of him, and 
which had clung to her ever since. 

“Yes. He was a prisoner,” added the Tory, 
“and the Indians were determined to burn him 
at the stake.” 

“Oh! Can it be?” she gasped. 

“But he was not burned,” the colonel hastened 
to add. 

“ Thank Heaven ! ” she murmured, when she 
caught the last declaration. “I would have 
died had he not escaped.” 

“But he did not escape.” 

She stared as if she did not understand him. 

“I mean to say he has suffered no injury, but 
he did not get away of his own accord.” 

“I am inexpressibly relieved to hear you say 
that. If Heaven delivered him, I care not what 
the means was so long as it was effective.” 


188 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


“He begged hard, and cried like a child. But 
the Iroquois were so furious over the treatment 
they had received from the Mohawk that they 
were determined he should die, and it looked bad 
for him, I can tell you, for a while. And your 
lover would have perished if I had not taken pity 
on him and stopped the sport of the Indians.” 


CHAPTER XXVIL 


DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND. 

Rosa suspected that Colonel Butler was tell- 
ing her something more or less than the truth, 
though she credited his declaration that Ned 
Clinton had been a prisoner in the hands of the 
Iroquois — mainly because she was so strongly 
impressed with that dread on the previous 
night. She believed he was free again, and that 
served to lift a great burden from her heart. 

“I am thankful for your kindness in behalf of 
any unfortunate prisoner, no matter whether a 
friend of mine or not, and the more so when he 
is a friend. 

“I had no intention of harming him, but even 
if I had I would not have been able to stand 
his begging to be let off. It was enough to melt 
the heart of a stone. 

“No one can help being frightened when he 
believes he is soon to be burned to death. I 
would have done the same myself, and you like- 
wise.*’ 


189 


190 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


“No, I wouldn’t,’’ hastily answered the col- 
onel. “No brave man will cringe and whimper 
when he can’t help himself.” 

“You said a minute ago that you looked upon 
him as a boy.” 

“What of that? He is big and old enough to 
know better than that, that is, if he has any 
courage, which I don’t believe.” 

“I know him to be brave and daring.” 

Rosa did not believe what had been said 
about Ned’s cringing before the prospect of a 
cruel death. She knew the young scout too 
well for that, and she knew, too, that the Tory 
was trying to belittle him in her eyes. It was 
a subterfuge on his part, so plainly prompted 
by jealousy that she understood it from the 
first. But, although she had fixed upon a course 
of conciliation toward the Tory, with the hope of 
gaining an influence over him, yet she could not 
listen to his denunciation of one who was in 
every way his superior. Her defense of the 
young patriot was the most exasperating thing 
she could do. Colonel Butler saw only another 
confirmation of her love for him. 

He tried to keep down his rising choler, and 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


191 


answered her in a way intended to be as cutting 
as her own. 

“That is another point upon which we cannot 
agree. If you consider it the proper thing for a 
brave man to do when in danger — that is, to 
cry like a child, you are welcome to the opinion/^ 

“But my thankfulness is the same for your 
interference in his behalf, whether as you view it 
he was entitled to it or not. I am sure, too, 
that he is as grateful as I, but are you sure 
that Lena-Wingo had nothing to do with secur- 
ing his liberty?’’ 

This was a chance question, as Rosa had no 
means of knowing anything of what had taken 
place, excepting as heard from the colonel himself. 
But the latter took the query as proof that she 
knew all, and had been trifling with him from 
the beginning. His anger intensified at the 
belief that he had been detected in an attempt 
to belittle one upon whom he looked as a rival 
in the affections of the young lady. 

“Suppose the Mohawk did shoot one or two 
of our warriors. It did not secure the liberty 
of the booby, nor would he have got away 
without my consent. AH this does not justify- 


192 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


you in coming here and telling me a deliberate 
falsehood as you have done.’’ 

‘‘I do not understand you,” said the aston- 
ished captive. “I have not told you any false- 
hood; I would not do such a thing to save my 
life. My last remark was a question.” 

“That will do for a rebel like you to tell me, 
but I have met too many such as you to be 
deceived. You will gain nothing by adopting 
such a course with me.” 

“If you persist in discrediting all I say, there 
is no need of our talking together,” she answered, 
with dignity. “I have disputed the truth of 
nothing you have told me, and before I declare 
anything, you accuse me of falsehood. Are you 
in earnest? ” 

The Tory seized the opening to extricate him- 
self from an unpleasant predicament. He was 
impressed with the truthfulness of the girl, and 
could do nothing less than acknowledge it. 

“I thought from your words and manner 
that you wished to cast a slur upon what I had 
told you, and a man of honor like myself could 
not but resent such an imputation.” 

“Since all is understood between us, I hope 
nothing more will arise.” 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


193 


“It shall not be my fault if it does. Do you 
know, Rosa,’^ said the colonel, with a burst of 
confidence, “that it gives me great sorrow to 
think that we are arrayed on opposing sides in 
this war? ” 

“That can be easily remedied,’^ she said, with 
a smile. 

“How?** was his eager inquiry. 

“All you have to do is to come over to our 
side.^^ 

But even as she made the proposal, she felt 
that such an ally would be a discredit to what- 
ever cause he was engaged in. Colonel Butler 
shook his head. 

“You couldn’t ask an old soldier to desert 
his flag.” 

“I haven’t done so; but I mentioned the 
only plan by which your sorrow can be 
removed.” 

“There is another,” he said, slyly. 

“I am not aware of it.” 

“It is for you to come over to our side.” 

“You are doing the same thing which you 
reproved in me.” 

“But you are not a soldier.” 

13 


194 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


would be if T were a man like you — a sol- 
dier for the patriots in their war for independ- 
ence.” 

He shook his head gravely, as if saddened at 
hearing such heretical sentiments from her lips. 
Said he: 

“If you would take the time to think calmly 
over the matter, you would see the error you 
and your folks have made. There is no more 
chance of the colonies gaining their independence, 
as you call it, than there would be if they went 
over to England and tried to subjugate that 
nation. She, the mightiest empire in the world, 
on whose possessions the sun never sets, whose 
men-of-war plow every sea on the globe — why, 
the thought of a few ragged colonies daring to 
resist her is so preposterous that it makes me 
smile.” 

The young patriot could not listen in silence to 
such slurs upon the principles for which she was 
ready to die. 

“They will gain their independence just as 
sure as the sun of to-morrow will rise. Three 
millions of people, fighting for liberty, which 
they hold dearer than life, cannot be conc^uered 
by all the nations in the world,” 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


195 


“That’s the stuff your orators and fools have 
been preaching for 3^ears past, and the defeat of 
the other day is but one of the fruits which 
they are reaping as a penalty. It sounds well 
to urge the poor victims on to their death, but 
that is all it will amount to. If you were the 
true friend to your country that you claim to 
be, you would do what you could to persuade 
them of the folly of their course. One with such 
grace and beauty as yours could exert a great 
influence for the good of 3'our people.” 

“What little I can do shall be given freely to 
America — in the way of urging them never to 
cease their resistance to England till our inde- 
pendence is secured,” she returned, spiritedly. 
“I shall urge them as I have in the past — never 
to forge the sword into the pruning hook as 
long as there remains one hostile soldier upon 
our soil — to send all the men to the front and 
to keep them there; and when Indians and Tories 
invade the homes behind them, we will send our 
old men and boys to drive them off, as we did 
the other day. Though I knew that my father, 
brother and dearest friends were doomed to fall 
before the liberty of my country could be secured, 
still I would urge them on; and my unfaltering 


196 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


trust is that he who reigns in Heaven will 
never allow a horrible tyranny" to triumph over 
a righteous cause like that for which the Ameri- 
can people are now imperiling their lives and 
their all.” 


CHAPTER XXYIII. 


VAIN SCHEMING. 

This impassioned burst of patriotism on the 
part of Rosa Minturn fairly took the breath 
from Colonel Butler, who, during its utterance, 
removed his pipe from his mouth and sat staring 
at the ardent young rebel in speechless amaze- 
ment and admiration. There must have pene- 
trated into his brain, for the time being at least, 
a conviction that the words, coming from the 
heart as they did, were , like the utterances of 
some seer of the olden time, whose vision, pene- 
trating the misty future, saw the outline of 
events which were destined surely to come to 
pass. She spoke with all the emphasis of one 
who felt the truth of the words which fell from 
her lips, and speaking in this manner, could not 
fail to impress the one whom she addressed. 
The latter, as he saw that beauteous face light 
up with the fire of emotion, which burned as 
well in the lustrous eyes, was charmed by the 
countenance of the fair patriot, which for him 

197 


198 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


possessed an enchantment that he had never 
experienced before. 

“Perhaps she speaks the truth after all,” was 
the thought that stole into his mind. “She 
talks like one who knows the verity of what she 
says. It may be that England has undertaken 
a greater work than she can complete. But 
pshaw!” he added, impatiently. “What fancies 
are creeping into my head ! The beauty of the 
young minx is robbing me of my sense.” 

He sat in silence for a time after she had 
uttered the glowing sp?ech until he could recover, 
in a measure, from its effect; and then, as the 
pipe went back into his mouth he continued: 

“You seem to feel so deeply what you say that 
I won’t dispute you. But you must remember 
that every cause, no matter how hopeless it 
may be, is sure to have some adherents that are 
ready to stake their lives that it is going to 
succeed, even when it is near its ruin. Your 
devotion to this rebellion blinds your judgment 
and you see things with distorted visions. But 
let that pass. I have not abandoned hope that 
you will yet see the error of your ways before 
it is too late. And, dear Rosa,” he continued, 
in a low voice, as he moved closer to her, “I 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


199 


cannot but think what a splendid future is 
before you, if you would only be known as a loyal 
subject of the king of Great Britain, You can 
go to that country after this little rebellion is 
ended and your beauty and wit would make 
you among the most famous in the land. You 
would receive attentions such as are bestowed 
on royalty itself. Wealth and happiness would 
be placed at your feet, and I would be the 
proudest and happiest of men — ” 

The Tory was going faster and faster in his 
inane fashion when Rosa turned on him with 
such a look of scorn that he seemed to awake 
to the fact that he was acting the part of a crazy 
man. He abruptly paused, turned his head 
another way, placed his pipe between his teeth 
and was silent. It was as if some sudden blow 
on the head had roused him from his dream and 
shown him what a simpleton he was making 
of himself. 

She opened her lips to utter an indignant reply 
to the “declaration” of the officer, when the 
truth flashed upon her. She saw that only 
injury would result from the words she had 
framed while much might be gained by holding 
her peace and affecting an ignorance of the real 


200 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


meaning of his argument. There was silence for 
a minute or two, during which she looked around 
to see what the Indians were doing. 

It was near noon, and the Iroquois, in obedi- 
ence to the command of the colonel, had com- 
pleted their preparations for going to the river 
and embarking for Forty Fort again, with the 
purpose of leaving the valley altogether. It was 
this departure from the encampment which Rosa 
dreaded. She felt that if Lena-Wingo were not 
able to do something before the Susquehanna 
was crossed, he was not likely to gain the 
chance. 

“How soon do you start for the fort?’’ she 
asked. 

He looked up, surprised and gratified that 
she should address him so gently after offend- 
ing her. 

“I have told the men to make ready at once 
and there seems to be nothing left except to set 
out for the river.” 

“You mean to go straight back to the 
fort?” 

“That’s the idea. We have been much longer 
on this side of the stream than I anticipated 
when I left, and there are so many important 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


201 


matters suffering on account of my absence that 
it won’t do to wait longer.” 

Rosa could scarcely believe that she was tHe- 
a-tHe with Colonel Butler, the leader of the 
band which had so lately laid waste the 
Wyoming valley. She could not be more gentle 
and respectful in manner than he. It was 
almost ludicrous to observe the delicacy of his 
references to the errand that was the cause of his 
crossing to this shore. 

‘‘Would a few hours make any difference to 
you — I mean in the time of your return to the 
fort?” she asked, in the most insinuating tone 
at her command. 

“It might make a great deal of difference and 
it might not make any. Why do you ask?” 

“I have been wandering all night and a part 
of the day in the wood and am so wearied that 
a longer rest in this place would be very accept- 
able to me.” 

Rosa saw at once that the Tory suspected her 
motive, but he endeavored to act as though he 
thought she had no ulterior purpose in making 
the request. 

“If you are wearied, your strength shall not 
be taxed any more,” he responded, in a voice 


202 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


that awakened the strongest hope. ‘^I will 
provide against that.’’ 

“You are kind,” she answered, bowing smil- 
ingly at him, as if he were some noble gallant 
of the olden time, “and I appreciate all these 
favors. Then you will not start for several 
hours more?” 

“I am sorry that I shall have to disappoint 
you there. I find, on reflection, that I have 
been so long on this side that it will not do to 
spend another hour here; but your request for 
rest shall be heeded.” 

“How? Will you leave me here under a guard 
till night?” 

The eagerness with which the query was pro- 
pounded would have confirmed the suspicions of 
the Tory as to the object of his captive, even if 
he was not satisfied before. Still he endeavored 
to conceal all appearance of suspicion on his 
part as he answered: 

“That would hardly be prudent, but our 
Indians are strong and they will be glad to 
carry you from the camp to the river.” 

Rosa was horrified. 

“What! I carried by those warriors?” she 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


203 


exclaimed. “I would not permit it for the 
world!” 

“They will treat you as gently as your own 
parents, but, if you object to them. I shall only 
be too happy to take you in my arms to the 
stream, praying that the distance were ten 
times as great as it is.” 

Poor Rosa was filled with dismay. Every 
proposition made by her was met by something 
more distasteful, until she began to fear she 
was involving herself in trouble from which 
there was no escape. 

“I could not consent to place you to such 
inconvenience,” she said, trying to hide the 
abhorrence that filled her soul at the thought. 
“If you are determined to go to the river I do 
not suppose that anything I can say would 
serve to change your mind, only perhaps to 
make you hurry more. I could not agree to be 
carried in the arms of an Indian warrior, nor 
in yours. If you wish to go, do not allow me 
to detain you; I have enough strength to walk 
it, and if I have not, I will call on you.” 

“The distance is quite short,” said the Tory, 
not noticing the insinuation of his rebellious 


204 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


prisoner, “and I am sure that your fatigue will 
not be inereased by sueh a brief walk; we will 
time our gait so as to suit you, and if you 
insist, will take a rest on the way.” 


CHAPTER XXIX. 


AT THE SHORE. 

Rosa saw that it was useless to try to help 
Lena-Wingo by anything she could do with 
Colonel Butler. She, therefore, yielded the con- 
test as gracefully as she knew how. 

‘‘I am ready to go as soon as you wish,’^ she 
said, as she rose from the log, and looking 
toward him awaited his commands. 

She held some hopes that an assumption of 
offended dignity on her part would cause the 
Tory to defer to her wishes. But it did not. 
The man had a wholesome dread of remaining 
longer on the same side the Susquehanna with 
so terrible a foe as the Mohawk scout, who had 
given him and his allies more than one taste of 
what he could do when his blood was roused. 
Besides, there were other misgivings crowding 
upon his attention and making him uneasy ; and 
much as he would have liked to defer to the 
wishes of the fair rebel with whom he was infat- 
uated, self-preservation forbade him to do so. 

205 


206 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


She had hardly risen, when he did the same, 
and said something to the leading Indian which 
Rosa did not hear. All that she noticed was 
that the warrior whom Colonel Butler addressed 
was the same one who had interfered to protect 
her from insult, from which she concluded he was 
the highest in authority among the Iroquois 
present. Whether to be rejoiced at this or 
whether to be cast down was more than she 
could determine. The savage was an individual 
whom she could not understand. 

Following the words of the Tory, there was 
a general shouldering of rifles and gathering up 
of blankets, and the next minute the score or so 
of Indians were- ready to start for the river 
hard by. At this juncture, when the leader was 
looking around, to make sure that all were pres- 
ent, there was perfect silence for those few sec- 
onds only. The stillness for that moment was 
like that of the tomb. During the brief inter- 
val, when everything was held in suspense, 
every warrior, together with the Tory colonel, 
and even Rosa Minturn herself, distinctly heard 
the click of a rifle as the hammer fell without 
report. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


207 


It came from the woods behind them, where 
the undergrowth was so dense that a dozen men 
might have concealed themselves within fifty 
feet; the sound was so clearly marked that no 
one could mistake its meaning. At that juncture 
the captive was looking in the face of Butler, 
and saw him start, and turn pale, like one who 
heard his own knell. He did not speak, but 
turned to the Iroquois leader, as if petitioning 
him to save him from the impending peril. The 
warrior showed the real bravery for which he 
had always been noted among his people. 
He muttered something that seemed to be a 
command for the rest of his warriors to remain 
where they were, while he bounded into the 
woods on the opposite side from whence came 
the alarming sound, and vanished. He had gone 
to ascertain what it meant, and in the mean- 
time his followers were to hold their place against 
his return. 

Colonel Butler believed that he was about to 
be attacked, and he was made uneasy at the 
action of the leader. 

But the moment was critical. Fearful of an 
attempt at rescue, to be met halfway by the 


208 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


captive herself, he stepped close to her, and said, 
in a low voice of frightful earnestness : 

*‘The minute you try to run away, that min- 
ute a tomahawk will be buried in your brain. 
I will give the order myself!” 

“And you are the one I believe would do it 
without waiting for another,” replied Rosa with 
flashing eyes. 

“So I will,” he answered. “I am bound to 
take you away with me. You shall never see 
Wyoming valley again. You must go with me, 
and 3'ou may as well make up your mind to 
that at once. So it won’t pay to trifle 
with us.” 

The Tory had shown his real self and the 
high-spirited girl scorned to make reply to his 
threats. 

Despite the erisis which seemed to be at hand, 
and the danger of exciting the anger of the 
Tory, she deliberately turned her back upon him, 
just as she did when the young Indian became 
annoying in his attentions. The white face of 
the Tory turned to crimson, but the occasion 
was one in which he was prevented from doing 
as he wished. It was all important that he 
should prepare for the attack that was impend- 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


209 


ing. He was quite sure that the black eyes of 
Lena-Wingo were fixed upon him from the con- 
cealment of the undergrowth, and the instant 
he offered any rudeness would be the signal for 
a bullet from him. This was surely motive 
enough for him to hold his peace, and restrain 
any impoliteness toward the captive. 

The click of the hammer of the hidden rifle 
was a warning for the Iroquois to prepare for an 
attack from their enemies. The majority of the 
former sprang behind trees, in the most approved 
fashion of the Indians, while others, not 
knowing from what point the assault was likely 
to come, dropped to the ground, extending 
themselves at full length and waiting till they 
could learn more of their foes than was con- 
veyed by the simple sound mentioned. 

The Tory and Rosa were the only ones who 
stood out in full view, she knowing there could 
be no danger from her friends, while he did not 
believe he could increase his chances of escape 
by resorting to the means taken by his red 
allies. She was determined that if any chance 
offered, to seize it in spite of the threats of the 
Tory, relying on her own fleetness and the 
quickness of Lena-Wingo to prevent her being 

14 


210 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


harmed. The plan of the Indians was to wait 
where they were till they reeeived some message 
from their leader who was engaged in reconnoi- 
tering. The fear of the ehief w as that Lena- 
Wingo might have seeured assistance from 
Wilkesbarre, in view of the attempt to conduct 
the lady to the fort. If such w^ere the fact, the 
situation of the party, including that of Colonel 
Butler, was extremely critical, and a desperate 
fight was impending. If there were but the two 
young patriots and the Mohawk, the recapture of 
the girl could not be affected as they believed. So 
the Tory and redskins were awaiting the infor- 
mation from their leader. 

In less than twenty minutes a signal was 
heard from the wood, which caused a thrill of 
excitement in all. Then it was repeated, and 
the whole party came out from their shelter 
behind the trees and upon the ground, and met 
together as before in the center of the camp- 
ground. 

The action of her captors filled Rosa with dis- 
may, which was increased by the reappearance 
of the leader and by the message which he 
brought back. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


211 


“It was an idle alarm,” said Colonel Butler, 
blandly, to Rosa. “We thought there was a 
party of whites at hand, but the chief brings 
word that the Mohawk crept up to take a shot 
at some of us, when his gun snapped. He con- 
cluded the best thing for him was to pull out, 
which he proceeded to do without waiting to 
reload till he got to a safe distance. I am 
happy to say that all danger is now past, and 
we will resume our walk to the river.” 

In accordance with his promise, the Tory pro- 
ceeded slowly, the Indians scattering some- 
what and on the alert for danger, despite* the 
assurance the Tory had just given that there 
was no harm. The distance to the Susquehanna 
was less than Rosa supposed and it was reached 
within a few minutes. There several canoes 
were waiting, one of which Colonel Butler, Rosa 
and the Iroquois leader entered, and the start 
was made for the other shore of the Susque- 
hanna. 


CHAPTER XXX. 


THE PURSUERS. 

We return to the little party that were 
gathered about the cavern on the morning after 
the flight of Rosa. It consisted of the three 
friends — Jo Minturn, Ned Clinton and the 
Mohawk. The last named discovered, before the 
day was fairly upon them, the cause that led 
to the flight of the maiden. When he declared 
that she had been driven away, but not by the 
Indians, he explained that the entrance of the 
bear was the reason for her abandoning the 
refuge in such a hurry — an excuse which all were 
ready to acknowledge was sufficient to drive 
any unarmed person from a hiding-place. 

It took but a few minutes for the dusky scout 
to ascertain that she had succeeded in getting 
away without injury, and was undoubtedly 
wandering in the woods at that very hour. 
That being the case, the natural plan which 
suggested itself for her rescue— if she was in any 
peril — was to take her trail and follow it with- 


IvENA-WlNGO, THE MOHAWK. 


213 


out delay. This was the purpose of the Mohawk, 
as he declared it to his young friends the next 
moment. 

It was no trouble for a veteran like him to do 
this for hours at a time, but the difficulty 
referred to in another place suggested itself. 
There could be no divining the route or 
general course of the missing girl. 

The only thing to be done was to follow her 
trail closely and unremittingly until she was 
found. Lena-Wingo understood the inestimable 
importance of every hour and minute he could 
command, when the forest was full of Iroquois, 
hunting for the lost one, who, in obedience to 
the law which obtains at such times, was liable 
to run into the hands of the very ones whom 
she was seeking to avoid. 

“Come on — follow fast — make no noise.’’ 

As the words escaped him, he took the trail 
and started off as fast as the nature of his duty 
would permit. The young patriots were at his 
heels, as eager as he to come up with the miss- 
ing Rosa before she ran into any more danger. 
Here and there they were able to detect the 
faint footprints left by the wanderer, but for 
three-fourths of the time the trail was as “blind” 


214 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


as if it led over the surface of solid rock. But 
there was no hesitation on the part of their 
leader. He did not walk rapidly, but kept up a 
steady, even gait, with his gaze upon the ground 
in front, now and then raising his eyes, as if look- 
ing for the point where this pursuit was leading 
them. 

He was unwilling, also, to leave the duty of 
watching for danger to his companions. At regular 
intervals he paused and listened, and scrutinized 
the surroundings. This was continued for more 
than two hours, during which the youths gave 
expression to their amazement more than once 
at the long distance passed over by Rosa. 

“She seems incapable of weariness,” said Ned, 
on one of these occasions, when they stopped 
for a brief consultation. 

“Yes. She can walk as far as either of us 
without fatigue,” replied her brother. “She has 
gone mile after mile with me and with Lcna- 
Wingo, and returned home at night as fresh as 
when she started in the morning. It would be 
better if she had tired out and stopped to rest.” 

“It looks as if she spent most of the night in 
trying to get back to the cavern.” 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


215 


“That what she do,’^ said the Mohawk, who 
had little to say when the others were talking. 

“And the result, as we can see, has been that 
she has gone further and further away in her 
bewilderment/^ added Jo. 

“It maybe, judging from the circuitous course, 
that we have passed quite close to her, for we 
have almost doubled on our own track several 
times. 

“If so, she must be asleep, for you have heard 
Lena-Wingo signal to her without response.^* 

“It is to be hoped that she was not so 
bewildered as to have been seen by any of the 
Iroquois.*^ 

In expressing this hope, Ned Clinton gave 
utterance to the fear which was in the breast of 
the Mohawk, no less than in that of the brother 
of Rosa. Lena-Wingo turned quickly as the 
words were spoken, and looked at his friend, 
who expected him to say something, but the 
warrior remained silent. 

“Have you seen any prints of moccasins?’’ 
asked Ned. 

“Woods full of them,” was the alarming 


answer. 


216 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


“But we have seen nothing of the Iroquois 
themselves/^ ventured Jo. 

By way of answer to this implied doubt, the 
Mohawk said, pointing at the same time to 
their left: 

“See there! ” 

There was no mistaking the nature of that 
whieh greeted their gaze. The smoke whieh was 
slowly aseending above the tree tops not more 
than a hundred yards from where they had 
stopped for a few minutes came from a camp- 
fire of their enemies. 

“Maybe she is there/’ said Ned, in a hushed 
voice. 

“Let us go and see,” added Jo, instantly. 

“Come on — make no noise.” 

Lena-Wingo moved directly toward the spot 
where the fire was burning, the scouts treading 
as silently as before at his heels. They advanced 
with great caution, as became those who were 
about to enter a hostile camp, and in the course 
of the next five minutes came in sight of the 
camp. 

It was deserted, not a living person being visi- 
ble. It was probably the remains of the fire 
kindled by a part^^ of Iroquois that had spent 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


217 


the night there, and, after their morning meal, 
gone off again. 

“They may have taken her with them,^’ said 
Ned, when the Mohawk gave this version of the 
cause of the absence of all signs of life. 

The dusky scout was not the one to allow 
such a possibility to pass unexamined. He 
made a full investigation of the tell-tale evidence 
which the builders of this fire could not avoid 
leaving behind. The result was briefly reached 
and all that could be asked. Two warriors had 
spent the night there, departing in the morning, 
and Rosa was not with them. 

The young patriots’ were highly encouraged 
by this discovery, and began to feel strong 
hopes that the girl had managed to keep out of 
the reach of her enemies. The pursuers had 
been so long engaged by this time, that all were 
expecting to come up with her at every new 
turn or advance in the pursuit. Lena-Wingo 
was guarded about making any signals to 
attract her attention, since he had caught a 
number of those made by the Iroquois, showing 
they were so near that he was liable to come 
in collision with them, except by the exercise of 
the strictest care. The presumption was that 


218 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


any call wliich he could make that would be 
noticed by Rosa, even if she were quite near, 
was certain to reach the ears of her enemies. 
Besides this, he was confident of being so close 
to her, that they must soon meet, and the means 
referred to was unnecessary. 

Thus it was that from the time they approached 
the deserted camp fire, they ceased trying to 
gain her notice by calling to her. Within the 
next half hour the fallen tree was reached where 
our readers will remember she had turned and 
fled, as she believed, from some ravening beast 
of the forest. Turning back, the delicate foot- 
prints were followed until the pursuers came to 
the brook again at a narrow spot, where the 
wanderer leaped across, striking in such soft 
soil that the mark was distinct. Here, of course, 
all three bounded over, and paused a moment 
to look at the evidence of the dear one having 
been there but a short time before. 

“What’s the matter, Lena-Wingo?” asked Jo, 
as the Mohawk started, and uttered an excla- 
mation in his own tongue. 

“See there! ” he replied, pointing to the ground 
before them. 


CHAPTER XXXI. 


FOLLOWING THE TRAIL. 

The gesture of Lena'Wiugo told the alarming 
story. The earth was so moist that no one 
could step upon it without leaving a distinct 
impression. The two Iroquois whom, it will be 
remembered, had hit upon the trail of Rosa at 
that point, had kept at a distance of a few feet 
from it, as if to avoid disturbing it. 

But the impressions of the moccasins were so 
clear that the wonder was they had not been 
noticed by the youths from the very first. But 
they saw them now and knew what they 
meant. 

“The Iroquois have captured her,’^ wailed Jo, 
turning white and reeoiling a step. 

“No; not got her yet — they find trail — follow 
her — maybe not find her — we follow. 

This, then, was not as terrible as he had sup- 
posed. It meant that a couple of warriors, hav- 
ing discovered the footprints of Rosa, had 

219 


220 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


started to pursue her. As the scouts viewed it, 
they might not have kept up the chase, or they 
might still be at it, with a chance of her friends 
arriving in time to prevent their doing any 
harm. One glance ahead told the Mohawk that 
she had taken refuge in a clump of bushes else- 
where described. Without waiting for his com- 
panions, he ran to the spot, they hurrying after 
him, and wondering what the matter could be. 
His speed took him to the place considerably in 
advance of the others. Before they could join 
him, he ascertained that she had been there and 
had gone again. Once more he bounded like a 
sleuthhound on the trail, and the next moment 
learned the astounding truth. 

*‘They got her!” he called oitt to his friends, 
as they hastened to join him. “Two Iroquois 
catch her 1 ” 

The youths paused as abruptly as if smitten 
by a cannon shot. White, panting and rigid, 
they stared at the Mohawk who had uttered 
the awful words. He noticed their action, or 
rather want of action, but felt no disposition 
to indulge in sentimentality or emotion. 

“Two of them — three of us,” he called out; 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


221 


“come ’long — soon catch — take her away 
again.” 

The ringing words roused the others from the 
stunning shock of the tidings that Rosa was a 
captive in the hands of the Iroquois, and while 
the Mohawk moved off they followed him as 
before. Neither spoke, but their lips were com- 
pressed, and there was an iron resolve in the 
heart of each. If Rosa was a prisoner, she 
should not remain so! She should be rescued; 
the foul hands of Colonel Butler should never 
be laid upon that pure, spotless maiden; no, 
never ! 

Three men were in hot pursuit, and nothing 
less than death itself could check them. The 
great fear that stirred the heart of each was 
that the two Indiiins who held Rosa captive 
would succeed in reaching camp with her before 
the pursuers could come up with them. Even 
should they do so, the determination of her 
friends was none the less unwavering, but the 
chance of success was correspondingly lessened. 
Though the time had been improved to its 
fullest extent by those who were hunting Rosa 
Minturn, yet the route was so tortuous that 


222 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


they were thrown a long way behind her-* 
further, indeed, than Lena-Wingo supposed. 

The three grim avengers swept along the trail, 
made so plain now by the addition of that of the 
Iroquois, with so much speed that the young 
scouts feared the clue would be lost altogether. 
In a short time there was another halt. The 
Mohawk had reached the spot where the other 
two Indians joined the party. There was no 
motive for concealment, and he told the truth. 

“Who cares?” demanded Ned Clinton; “if 
there were a dozen, the case would be no differ- 
ent; we shall conquer them all.” 

“I agree with you,” promptly added the 
brother; “the redskins are cowards, and we can 
scatter them at the first charge.” 

The Mohawk looked at them with an admir- 
ing expression and remarked: 

“Lena-Wingo think so too!” 

“That’s the kind of talk!” exclaimed Clinton; 
“lead on! ” 

Once more the Mohawk resumed the pursuit, 
walking with so long and loping a step, that it 
was all his companions could do to equal it with- 
out breaking into a run. This new trail, followed 
some distance, gave signs that the pursuers were 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


223 


close upon the Indians, and the dusky scout was 
obliged to moderate his gait as a precautionary 
measure. Traveling a few hundred yards further, 
the Mohawk paused. His companions looked 
around, but saw nothing to warrant the cessa- 
tion of progress. 

“Iroquois close by,^’ said he; “walk slow — 
soon be there.” 

He made them keep a little further behind him 
than they had been doing, and it was only a 
short time after that he halted again and sig- 
naled for them to join him as carefully as they 
knew how. A few steps and they were at his 
side. Taking the arm of Ned, he pointed ahead. 
Dimly and only partially was the edge of the 
camp which they were seeking discerned by 
the young patriots. 

The Mohawk purposely halted at a safe dis- 
tance, his object being to avoid the risk of his 
young friends exposing themselves at this criti- 
cal point of the pursuit. Standing where they 
were, and screened behind the trees, which were 
all around them, the scouts were only able to 
catch a glimpse of the smouldering fire, with a 
portion of an Indian standing quietly near it. 
The latter took a step, and then he, like the 


224 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


others, was hidden from sight by the interven- 
ing trees and undergrowth. This condition of 
things was so unsatisfactory that, by general 
consent, they began stealing forward to obtain 
a better view. 

All three moved with so much circumspection 
that in a little while they were able to see all 
the parties gathered about the camp. The 
moment was when Rosa Minturn and Colonel 
Butler were in the midst of their discussion 
about the affairs between the colonies and the 
mother country. The patriotic sentiments of 
the captive were uttered in so clear and 
emphatic a voice that her three friends caught 
every word. It would be hard to tell whose 
heart responded more proudly to the thrilling 
words. Jo felt that he had a sister of whom a 
king might feel proud, while Ned Clinton won- 
dered at his own temerity in presuming to 
think he could ever prove worthy of the love of 
so noble a girl. The black eyes of Lena-Wingo 
kindled, and the old fire stirred his heart. He 
understood the thrilling sentiments, which were 
an echo of his own, and were the cause, too, of 
his forswearing his own race and throwing all 
his might and prowess on the side of the weak 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


225 


colonies struggling so bravely for their freedom. 

The Mohawk moved back a few paces, his 
companions cautiously following him. He then 
quickly explained his startling scheme. It was 
nothing more nor less than to make an attack 
upon the party of Indians, which were fulH six 
times as numerous as they. The scheme pleased 
the young patriots beyond expression. They 
were in just the mood for a daring enterprise 
like that whether it should prove a total 
failure or complete success! And so it was 
agreed to by all! 


CHAPTER XXXII. 


A STRANGE INTERVIEW. 

The plan of the Mohawk was for himself 
and his companions to steal up so close that 
there could be no mistake in their aim. Then 
each was to pick his man, the expectation being 
that in the case of one and possibly two, being 
killed, a third might be wounded. The under- 
standing was that Lena-Wingo was to fire the 
first shot, which was to kill Colonel Butler. 

The instant that was done he was to leap up, 
uttering a series of yells, intended to give the 
impression that double the number of assailants 
had attacked them. At the same time, Ned and 
Jo were to open fire, reloading and creating all 
the outcry possible. In the midst of the confusion 
it was believed that Rosa could be run off into 
the woods, and the Iroquois so effectually scat- 
tered that the contest would be finished. 

It was a wild and daring scheme — the most 

singular fact connected with it being that the 

Mohawk and the ardent young scouts were 
226 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


227 


stirred to the deed by the words of the uncon- 
scious patriot — Rosa Minturn herself. Time was 
precious, and the Mohawk had noted a moment 
before that the Iroquois had completed their 
preparations for going to the river, near at 
hand. Looking at their guns, to see that they 
were ready, the three scouts stole back to their 
places at the moment the whole party were 
standing in readiness to start for the canoes. 
Just as he had done hundreds of times before, 
the Mohawk raised his rifle to his shoulder, and 
pointed it straight at the breast of the Tory 
commander. Two seconds were enough to make 
his aim sure, when he pulled the trigger. 

To his consternation, his rifle did what it was 
never known to do before — it missed fire! 

Never was the Mohawk more astounded, and 
for one moment he stood like a statue. Then he 
peered through the undergrowth, and saw the 
Iroquois preparing for the attack, while his old 
friend and enemy was in the act of taking to 
the woods to learn the strength and intention 
of the assailing party. It would never do for 
them to learn that there were only two young 
men and one Indian for the discovery would 
render the Iroquois themselves the assailants. 


228 


LENA-WINGO. THE MOHAWK. 


and overthrow everything. The instant the 
other scout started back into the forest with the 
intention of coming round to the front, Lena- 
Wingo hastily withdrew to where his young 
friends were waiting and trembling with sup- 
pressed excitement. 

“Go back — don’t stay here,” he commanded, 
motioning them to retreat. 

They did not understand why this should be 
done, but they obeyed, moving back until there 
was no danger of their discovery. They were 
but a short time in hiding, when the Iroquois 
scout was discovered stealing among the trees a 
short distance off. 

Ned was on the point of suggesting that they 
should withdraw to a still greater distance, when 
Lena-Wingo deliberately straightened up and 
walked toward the Iroquois. The young patri- 
ots expected that he meant to attack him, and 
they watched their actions with intense interest. 
Their surprise may be imagined when they saw 
the two look at each other a moment, and then 
advanced like a couple of friendly neighbors 
desirous of holding a little confab. There they 
stood before Jo and Ned, talking in low tones, 
and with no more appearance of enmity than 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


229 


would have been exhibited in the case of the 
two young scouts themselves. 

This extraordinary interview lasted nearly ten 
minutes, the two Indians speaking in their 
native tongue, and in such low tones that, still 
as was the forest, the listeners could not catch 
the sound of their voices. 

“That^s the queerest proceeding I ever saw,” 
said Jo, when the warriors acted as if they 
were about to separate. 

“That Iroquois must be the one that Lena- 
Wingo spared last night, and that befriended 
Rosa when she was hiding with Lena-Wingo, 
near Forty Fort.” 

“That explains it; though even then, it’s the 
strangest thing I ever heard tell of.” 

“Here comes Lena-Wingo. We’ll find out 
what they said to each other. I’ll do the ques- 
tioning.” 

But on that point there was a little miscalcu- 
lation. The Mohawk would not give to either 
the slightest intimation of what had passed 
between himself and the Iroquois. Nor could he 
when months and years had gone, be persuaded 
to tell any one a single word uttered by him- 
self or the other warrior during that singular 


230 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


interview. The result, however, was an entire 
change of programme, and in view of what 
shortly took place, it may be suspected that 
the two distinguished warriors “saw’’ each 
other on that occasion. 

In his broken way, Lena-Wingo told his 
young friends that his gun had failed him at 
the critical moment, and the plan which they 
had in mind at that time was no longer feasi- 
ble. He had decided upon another, which was 
to wait until the party embarked in their 
canoes for the other side of the Susquehanna. 
He took only time enough to make this known 
to them, when he set out for the river accom- 
panied by the youths. 

They were so close to the stream that they 
reached it within the next few minutes, and 
before the Iroquois had embarked with their 
captive and Colonel Butler. At the spot where 
water was touched the trees and undergrow^th 
were dense, no better place for concealment 
being offered by the entire length of the Susque 
hanna. One object would have attracted the 
notice of any person whose gaze happened to 
be turned that way. That was a tree extended 
over the water, so that, for some eight or ten 




ROSA MINTURN’S ESCAPE FROM THE TORIES. — Page 239 




LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


233 


feet from the shore, the roots of the trunk 
reached outward almost horizontally. A fisher- 
man could have made his way along the tree and 
then sat down with his feet dangling nearly to 
the surface of the stream. This scrubby trunk 
was surrounded by and inclosed in a rank 
growth of vegetation. All this it is necessary 
to tell, in order to understand that which is to 
come. 

Pausing on the shore near this vegetable 
freak, the Mohawk told his companions all 
that he considered they should know as to his 
scheme. They were to station themselves with 
their loaded guns a few rods away from the tree 
and there hold themselves in readiness for orders. 
He assured them that they were quite cer- 
tain to have hot work in a few minutes. They 
were not to fire their guns unless they saw that 
it must be done for the safety of the girl whom 
they were about to attempt to rescue, or in self 
defense. They, as a matter of course, pledged 
that his command should be obeyed in spirit and 
letter. 

Having received this promise, the Mohawk 
accompanied them to the station which he had 
fixed upon for them. Alter a few words, reiter- 


234 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


ating what he had already said, he left and 
went to his own place on the shore of the river. 
There he was invisible to those whose imagina- 
tions were left free to conjure up all manner of 
wild schemes for the rescue of the imperiled one. 
They could only converse in whispers, while 
they watched and listened with their nerves 
strung to the highest pitch of excitement. But 
the eventful moment was close at hand. They 
soon heard the sound of the Iroquois paddles, 
showing that the embarkment had taken place, 
and Colonel Butler was on his way to the 
other shore of the Susquehanna, with Rosa 
Minturn as his prisoner. 


CHAPTER XXXIII. 


THROUGH BY DAYLIGHT. 

The Iroquois took their departure from the 
southeastern shore of the Susquehanna in three 
canoes. Colonel Butler, in spite of the assurance 
he had received from the Iroquois scout who 
had come back from the woods with the report 
that there was no danger to be feared, felt a 
misgiving that the stream would not be crossed 
without trouble. His knowledge of the Mohawk 
warrior led him to doubt that he would submit 
quietly to such a complete overturning of his 
plans. The Tory, therefore, neglected no precau- 
tion against failure at the last mpment. The 
memory of that click which told of the miss of 
Lena-Wingo’s gun followed him into the boat 
and he could not rid himself of a shuddering belief 
that the weapon of the savage had been pointed 
at him. 

As they took their places in the canoe, Rosa, 
actuated by a desire to get as far as possible 
from the Tory, took her seat in the stern of 

235 


236 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


the boat, sitting as far back as she could. 
Colonel Butler, following her, was about to 
ensconce himself as near her as the vessel would 
permit, when the warrior objected. 

“What’s the matter with you?” growled the 
officer, looking round at the one who had dared 
to interfere with him. 

“Sit there,” replied the warrior, pointing to 
the prow; “can’t paddle — canoe won’t go.” 

He gathered from this that the warrior who 
was to impel the boat through the water meant 
to say it was necessary that he should place 
himself in the prow, that the vessel might be 
paddled more readily. This was reasonable, 
and the colonel could find no excuse for disobey- 
ing, although he assented with ill grace. 

“The next time I’d rather you wouldn’t have 
quite so much to say.” 

By this arrangement, Rosa and the colonel 
were placed as far apart as possible in the same 
canoe. The Iroquois took his position in the mid- 
dle, paddle in hand, and dipped the implement into 
the water. The other two boats had shoved off, 
and were making their way down the shore, 
preparatory to striking across the stream. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


237 


By some understanding, emanating originally 
from the leading character, it was arranged 
that they should all pass down the current, 
until opposite a large stone on the shore, when 
they would head straight for the other bank. 
So they started, the canoe of Colonel Butler 
last of all. Only a few strokes were taken when 
the warrior injured his hand in some way, and 
stopped paddling for a moment while he exam- 
ined it. 

It was only for a second or two that he did 
this, when he dipped his paddle again, and 
resumed progress. But, brief as was the period, 
it resulted in placing his canoe a rod further 
behind the others. Heading down the stream 
in this manner, the other boats were in plain 
view of Rosa Minturn, who, perched in the stern, 
watched their progress in advance of her. 

She had noticed the tree before described, and 
she saw the first boat pass beneath it, where 
the trunk was so low that the warriors were 
compelled to incline their heads to prevent graz- 
ingit. A few seconds afterward the second boat did 
the same, and she watched the approach of 
their own craft. Before her canoe reached the 
point, however, the first boat was opposite the 


238 


F.ENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


rock and headed out in the river for the other 
shore. 

Colonel Butler had not spoken alter his 
remark to the warrior, but sat looking down 
the current at the other two boats and occasion- 
ally glanced back at the captive near him, while 
she in turn studiously avoided meeting his eye. 
On one of these occasions, when he was gazing 
at the leading boat, as it turned out into the 
stream, the warrior inclined himself toward her, 
as he thrust his paddle into the stream, so that 
his face was brought close to that of the girl. 
The latter noticed the singular action and looked 
questioningly at him. For just one second he 
fixed his black eyes on her, and muttered, in a 
low, quick voice: 

“Watch tree.’^ Then he dipped his paddle as 
before, and did not look at her again. 

Rosa was quick-witted, and knowing as she 
did the peculiar relations between this Iroquois 
and Lena-Wingo, she divined his meaning like a 
flash. The words were not more than uttered, 
when Butler turned his head and looked back, 
as if his suspicion was awakened. But he saw 
nothing to justify any misgivings. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


239 


A second later he was compelled to bow his 
head, to escape being grazed by the peculiar tree. 
Then came the Indian^s turn and then Rosa’s. 

She was in the act of leaning forward, when 
a human hand was thrust from the thick vege- 
tation. She was expecting it and partly rose, 
so as to allow a dusky arm to be thrust beneath 
her own, when she was lifted out of the canoe 
as though she were but an infant. 

Colonel Butler felt the swaying of the boat, 
caused by the sudden withdrawal of her weight, 
and he turned, wondering what the cause could 
be. He was just in time to catch sight of the 
figure of Lena-Wingo hurrying along the bushy 
trunk of the overhanging tree, bearing the foim 
of Rosa Minturn in his arms. 

‘‘Look there!” he shouted excitedly. “Don’t 
you see that Mohawk running off with the 
woman? Quick! Shoot him! Run the canoe 
into the shore! There isn’t a second to be lost! 
Hello, yonder!” he added, gesticulating desper- 
ately to the other canoes that had stopped, as 
though the occupants did not understand the 
cause of the excitement. “Back with you! He’ll 
be in Wilkesbarre before you get ashore.” 


240 


LKNA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


At that instant those in advance comprehended 
what had been done. They headed toward shore, 
which was but a short distance off, paddling 
with so much vigor that they touched land with 
a few powerful strokes. Glimpses of the Mohawk 
could be caught as he skillfully fought his way 
over the tree, where it was a difficult matter to 
move with the burden in his arms, on account 
of the luxuriance of the vines and vegetation 
which enveloped the trunk. , At the same time 
that Colonel Butler uttered his words of alarm, 
his Iroquois companion muttered an exclama- 
tion of anger, struck the paddle deep into the 
water, and headed toward land, as if with the 
purpose of cutting off the Mohawk before he 
could reach it. 

“Why don’t you shoot him?” demanded the 
Tory, who was beside himself and in danger of 
capsizing the little vessel. “He is close by and 
you cannot miss.” 

The warrior backed water instantly, so as to 
hold the canoe stationary, and to permit him to 
make his aim sure. Then he quickU^ raised his 
gun, and aimed straight at the figure hurrying 
over the log. Only for an instant, though, for 
he lowered it again. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


241 


“What’s the matter?” shrieked the infuriated 
Tory. “Why don’t you fire ? ” 

“Hit girl— not kill Mohawk.” 

“Who cares if you do hit her? I would rather 
she would be shot than get away ! Let me have 
your gun.” 

And reaching forward, he snatched the weapon 
from the grasp of the Indian and pointed 
it at the couple, who were not twenty yards 
distant. All this took place in a few seconds 
from the time Rosa was lifted bodily from the 
canoe and carried off. The distance from this 
point to where the woods were sufficiently 
dense to afford shelter was so short that, in 
spite of the undergrowth, it took the Mohawk 
but the briefest space to reach it, so that it 
was necessary that things should be made to 
move rapidly. Colonel Butler had but a flash of 
time in which to aim at the couple who were 
struggling for the cover of the forest. Aiming 
directly at the fugitive and his burden, and car- 
ing not whether he killed the maid or the man, 
or both, he pulled the trigger. 


CHAPTER XXXIV. 


CONCLUSION. 

A SECOND rifle flashed in the pan that day. 
Following the pressure upon the trigger by 
Colonel Butler came the hissing puff which told 
the story of the fizzle, and realizing the escape 
of the daring Mohawk with his burden, the 
Tory flung the useless weapon far out into the 
river, denouncing himself because he had failed 
to bring another gun into the canoe with him. 
Had anyone been looking into the face of the 
Iroquois just then, he would have detected a 
strange expression which flitted over it like the 
flash of sunshine that sometimes darts through 
a passing cloud. Through the paint it resem- 
bled a self-satisfied grin. The whole thing 
added confirmation to the suspicion that there 
was an understanding between the Mohawk 
and this Iroquois, brought about during the 
interview in the woods already referred to. 
But events were moving with bewildering 
rapidity. 


242 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


243 


Hardly had Colonel Butler in his blind rage 
hurled the rifle into the Susquehanna when the 
canoe touehed shore, the Iroquois sprang out 
and started in pursuit of the flying fugitives. 

Only a few seeonds behind him were the 
others, so that in a twinkling the whole party 
were ashore and in full chase. Ned Clinton and 
Jo Minturn, in their concealment, heard all 
these sounds and saw the Mohawk dart by 
them supporting Rosa, and traveling with the 
speed of a deer. The next instant the form of 
an Iroquois was seen, speeding only a short 
distanee behind. The gun of Jo was raised 
when Ned knocked it aside. 

“Don’t shoot! that’s a friend; he’s the one 
that Lena-Wingo had the talk with.” 

“All right; there comes another; I s’pose I 
can drop him ? ” 

“Yes; pick off all that come after, if you 
can.” 

Bang! went the gun before the words were 
fairly out of the mouth of the young patriot, 
and down went the Indian. 

Bang! went the gun of the second youth, and 
a second pursuer dropped. 


244 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK 


Then the two began reloading as fast as they 
could. The moment was critical; unless they 
could send in another shot, the enemy would 
know that there were but two of them, and 
make an attack from which there could be no 
escape. At this instant, the Iroquois warrior 
who had led the others came rushing back with 
the utmost speed of which he was capable. 

Reaching Colonel Butler and the rest of his 
comrades, he called out in a suppressed voice, 
and with the appearance of one under great 
excitement, that a party from Wilkesbarre were 
close at hand! Butler heard the startling 
announcement, and he headed the stampede for 
the canoes, muttering a series of imprecations 
which we dare not record. 

At the shore of the river the Indians bounded 
into the boats in greater haste than they had 
shown since entering the valley. And before 
they were fairly in position, the paddles were 
going, the occupants rowing desperately for the 
other shore and continually looking back for 
the appearance of a party of patriots on the 
bank, in case they did show themselves the 
Iroquois were sure of a volley from them; hence 
they strained every nerve to cross before the 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


245 


volley should come. At the same time they held 
themselves in readiness to fire upon the whites 
the very moment they appeared. But the 
seconds passed and nothing of the kind took 
place. 

It was not long before the other bank was 
reached and the warriors, with the Tory leader, 
sprang ashore and lost no time in making their 
way to Forty Fort, which was some distance 
below on the river. 

******* 

While this was going on a small party were 
proceeding in a leisurely manner toward Wilkes- 
barre. 

Lena-Wingo had run a short distance at the 
highest bent of his speed, when he discovered 
the stampede, almost at the instant it began. 
He stopped as suddenly in his flight as if he 
were shot. And when Rosa uttered an expres- 
sion of alarm, he told her that all danger was 
gone. A moment afterward he summoned the 
young scouts to join them — using the familiar 
whistle as his signal. 

It may well be supposed that the reunion of 
the members of the party was of the most joy- 


246 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


ous nature. They had been through peril and 
suffering during the last few days, but here they 
were without a scratch as a memento of the 
fray. When Jo had embraced and kissed his sis- 
ter again and again, while the tears of joy and 
thankfulness stood in his eyes, he released her 
and turned to his young friend. 

“Ned, if you think anything of her give her a 
good kiss.’^ 

It was bliss indeed for the young patriot to 
throw his arms around the maiden, whose face 
was as crimson as his own, while he pressed 
her to his heart. 

Rosa showed no resentment, and while he held 
her so close to his heart, he whispered: 

“My own dearest Rosa, I love you!’^ 

And even then she showed no anger. On the 
contrary, the downcast eyes and the glowing 
face, and the whole manner, looked as if she 
was pleased than otherwise. A half hour later 
the party entered Wilkesbarre, and the dangers 
were over. 

* * * * * * * 

On the same day. Colonel Butler withdrew 
his Tories and Indians from Wyoming valley. 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


24,7 


The bones of the victims of that memorable mas- 
sacre were allowed to bleach and whiten in the 
valley until the following October, when the 
patriot Colonel Butler, who had returned in 
August, ordered them gathered and buried. 
This was done, the bodies being taken up with 
pitchforks and placed in one common grave. 

Something more than half a century later, 
the beautiful monument, which is, no doubt, 
familiar to many of our readers, was erected 
over the remains of the patriots who fell on 
that day which has given the name of Wyoming 
valley a lame that shall last for all time to 
come. 

Of the deeds of the young patriots, and 
especially of Ned Clinton, this is not the place 
to speak. The two fought together in the 
Revolutionary war, rendering their country 
service which entitled them to be enshrined 
among the noble band of heroes who carried the 
flag of freedom safely through gloom and defeat to 
the fullness of glory and triumph. Lena-Wingo, 
the Mohawk, was equally eflicient in his own 
peculiar way, and his name for years was 
blessed by the patriots and anathematized by 
the enemies of the struggling colonies. 


248 


LENA-WINGO, THE MOHAWK. 


'Ned Clinton and his wife have long since slept 
in the valley, but the generations that have 
followed hold their names in affectionate rever- 
ence, and in that day for which all other days 
were made will rise up and call them blessed. 


THE END. 








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